
D. A. W. PERKINS. 



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Osceola Counts 



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BY D. A. W. PERKINS 



1892: 

BROWN 4 SAENGER, PRINTERS AND BINDERS, 
StOUX FALLS, SO. DAK. 



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The writer of these pa^es located in O'Brien County, 
Iowa, in the fall of 187 1, and hence knows something of the 
hardships and privations of the early settlers of these north- 
western Counties of the State, and particularly of the County 
of Osceola. This book is intended to rescue from coming 
oblivion many of the incidents and reminiscences of the early 
days of the County, and to give them record for the entertain- 
ment and benefit of the old settlers and the new, and also to 
give a general history of the County from its first organization. 

The book is not produced as a money making scheme; is 
not written to advertise anybody or anything. The writer 
has simply taken a certain portion of his time from a busy 
professional life, and wielded the pen in gratifying a personal 
desire to preserve the County's history, and also to bring home 
to the intelligent people of Osceola, and all others interested 
in the County, a record of what has gone before, up to the 
present date, and from which point some future historian may 
continue the task, when we, who were active participants in its 
early struggles, will be numbered among those who are of the 
silent city of the dead. 



©HE HAMB. 

Osceola County was named after a Seminole chief who was 
the acknowledged head of that band of Indians inhabiting the 
everglades of Florida. In 1835, the United States authorities 
attempted to remove the tribe into the country west of the 
Mississippi, but Osceola at the head of his brave followers re- 
fused to go, and such renowned commanders as Scott and 
Taylor were out-generaled in every encounter. After two 
years he was captured b}^ treachery, sent to Charleston in 
irons, and afterwards at Ft. Moultrie died of grief. 

LAW PERTAINING TO ITS ORGANIZATION. 

Chapter 9 of the Laws of the Third General Assembly, 
approved January 15, 1851, entitled, "An Act to Establish 
New Counties and Define Their Boundaries," among other 
things, provides as follows: 

"Section 49. That the following shall be the boundaries 
of a new county, which shall be called Osceola, to-wit: Be- 
ginning at the northwest corner of Township Ninety-seven, 
Range Thirty-eight, thence north to the north boundary hne 
of the State, thence west to the northwest corner of Township 
One Hundred, Range Forty-two, thence south to the south- 
west corner of Township Ninety-eight, Range Forty-two, 
thence east to the place of beginning." 

Section 27 of the same act created a new county called 
Wahkaw, which is the present County of Woodbury. 

Chapter 8 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, 
approved January 12, 1853, entitled, "An Act Organizing 
Certain Counties Therein Named," provides for the organiza- 
tion of the County of Wahkaw, and the holding of a special 
election for that purpose. 

And Section 14 of said chapter reads as follows: 

"Section 14. That for revenue, election and judicial pur- 
poses, the Counties of Ida, Sac, Buena Vista, Cherokee, 
Plymouth, Sioux, O'Brien, Clay, Dickenson, Osceola and Bun- 
combe are hereby attached to Wahkaw, and the election for 
said county shall be held at Sergeant's Bluff, and as many 



6 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Other places as the organizing sheriff may designate in his 
notice of election." 

Thos. L. Griffey was the organizing sheriff of the County 
of Wahkaw. 

Chapter 12 of the Laws of the Fourth General Assembly, 
approved January t2, 1853, entitled, "An Act in Relation to 
New Counties," provides the. manner in which citizens of an 
unorganized county may secure the organization of their 
county by application to the county judge of the county to 
which such unorganized county is attached, and also provides 
for establishing the county seat, notice of election, canvass of 
returns and qu^tlitication of officers elected. 

And Section 4 of said chapter provides that the name of 
the County of Wahkaw shall be changed to Woodbury. 

Sections 226 to 230, inclusive, of the revision of i860 
contain general provisions relating to unorganized counties, 
the holding of elections for organization, etc., in which the 
authority is stated to be in the county judge to perform certain 
duties, but Sections 312 to 326, inclusive, in effect confer upon 
the board of supervisors the powers and duties of the county 
judge in relation to unorganized counties attached to organized 
counties. And Section 330 of the revision of i860 also so de- 
clares. 

Under these provisions the County of Osceola remained 
attached to Woodbury County until its organization in Jan- 
uary, 1872. 



Ol^GANIZING OSGBOLiA (sOUNTY. 

WOODBURY COUNTY RECORDS. 

State of Iowa, \ 
Woodbury County. \ 

I, George W. Wakefield, Auditor of Woodbury County, 
Iowa, do hereby certify that at the June session, A. D. 1S71, 
of the Board of Supervisors of Woodbury County, to-vvit: 
On the 6th day of June, A. D. 1871, the following proceed- 
ings were had to-wit: 

Resolved, that the Countv of Osceola in the State of Iowa, 
be organized at the general election of 187 1. 

Resolved, that three townships be formed out of the 
County of Osceola in the State of Iowa, to-wit: All of 
Township No. Ninety-Eight, of Range Thirty-nine, Forty, 
Forty-One and Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be 
known and called Goewey Township. All of Township No. 
Ninety-Nine, Range Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One and 
Forty-Two, shall compose one township to be known and 
called Holman Township. And all of Township No. One 
Hundred, of Range Thirty-Nine, Forty, Forty-One and 
Forty-Tw^o, shall compose one township to be known and 
called Horton Township. 

Resolved, that an election be held for the election of 
Township and County officers at the general election for 1871, 
to be held as follows, to-vvit: In Goewey Township, at the 
house of E. Huff; in Holman Township, at the house of 
A. Culver; in Horton Township, at the house of H. R. Fenton. 

Resolved, that the question of whether the Provisions of 
Chapter 144 of the Laws of the Twelfth General Assembly of 
the State of Iowa, shall be enforced in Osceola County, Iowa, 
shall be submitted to the legal voters of said County, at the 
general election of 187 1, as provided m said chapter. 

Resolved, that the proper officers are hereby authorized 
and instructed to do and take all necessary steps to have these 
resolutions carried into effect. 

Resolved, that the Auditor be instructed to assess the 
lands in Osceola County at twoJ|dollars an acre. 



8 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, fO]VA. 

I also certify that at the September Session, A. D. 187 1, 
to-wit: On the 4th day of September, A. D, 187 1, the fol- 
lowing proceedings were had, to-wit: 

Resolved^ that the following taxes shall be and are hereby 
levied for the year A. D. 187 t, upon the assessed value of the 
taxable property in Osceola County, Iowa, for the year A. D. 
187 1, in accordance with law, to-wit: 

For State revenue, two mills on the dollar. 

For ordinary County revenue, four mills on the dollar and 
a poll tax of fifty cents. 

For the support of schools, two mills on the dollar. 

For making and repairing bridges, three mills on the 
dollar. 

For road purposes, five mills on the dollar. 

For school house fund, ten mills on the dollar. 

For teachers fund, ten mills on the dollar. 

For contingent fund, four mills on the dollar. 

I also certify that at the October session, A. D. 187 1, to- 
wit: On the i6th day of October, A. D. 1871, the following 
proceedings were had to-wit: 

On motion the Board proceeded officially to canvass the 
votes cast at the general October election, A. D. 1871, in and 
for Osceola County, Iowa, which was reduced to writing and 
placed on file, and the abstract of votes cast was recorded in 
the election book, and signed by the said Board and attested 
by the County Auditor, and it appearing by proofs on file that 
due proclamation has been made of the several offices to be 
filled, and to the question submitted to the vote of the County. 

It was on motion ordered and declared that the following 
persons were duly elected to the offices set opposite their re- 
spective names, to-wit: 

A. M. Culver, County Treasurer. 

D. L. McCausland, County Recorder. 

C. M. Brooks, Clerk of the District Court. 

Delily Siiles, County Superintendent of Public Schools. 

J. D. Hall, Coroner. 

John Beaumont, Drainage Commissioner. 

M. J. Campbell, County Surveyor. 

George Spaulding, \ 

H. R. Fenton. I Commissioners. 

J. H. Winspear. ) 

Also the following question submitted to a vote of the 
people of the County was declared to have been carried in the 
affirmative: 



HISTORl OF OSCEOLA COCXTl'. IOWA. 9 

" Shall the provisions of Chapter 144 of the Laws of the 
Twelfth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, be enforced 
in Osceola County, Iowa." 

The supervisors elect, in and for Osceola County, Iowa, 
were classed and divided by lot as by law provided, whereby 
it was found that George Spaulding was entitled to hold the 
office of member of the Board of Supervisors of said County 
for the term of three years, and H. R. Fenton was entitled to 
hold said office for the term of two 3'ears, and J. H. Winspear 
was entitled to hold said office for the term of one year. 

On motion it is now ordered that the auditor be instructed 
to notify Wm. A. McDonald and F. M. Robinson to appear at 
his office and determine by lot which of them shall be declared 
elected Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, also to notif}- S. C. 
Couch and T. J. Cutshall to appear at his office and determine 
by lot which of them shall be declared elected Sheriff of Osce- 
ola County, Iowa, also to give notice of the adoption of the 
several questions submitted to the people as by law provided. 

I also certify that the following proceedings were held 
before the County Auditor of Woodbnrv County, Iowa, to- 
to-wit : 

F. M. Robinson, \ 

Wm. a. McDonald, f ^•'' ^''''^^• 

Now on this 27th da}^ of October, 1871, comes Frank M. 
Robinson for himself and John Cleghorn, Jr., for Wm. \. Mc- 
Donald, and lots having been duly prepared and di'awn, it was 
ascertained that Frank M. Robinson should be declared 
elected Auditor of Osceola County, Iowa, and pursuant to the 
order of the Board of Supervisors, made October 16, 1871, 
the said Frank M. Robinson is hereby declared elected Audi- 
tor of Osceola County, Iowa. 

I also certify that at the adjourned October session, 1871, 
to-wit: On the 29th day of October, A, D. 187 1, the follow- 
ing proceedings were had, to-wit: 

On motion it is now ordered the Auditor be empowered 
and instructed to approve the bond of the Auditor of Osceola 
County, Iowa. 

I also certify that the following proceedings were had be- 
fore the County Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa, on the 
19th day of December, A. D. 1871: 



10 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

F. M. Robinson, Auditor, 



r\ r^ ^ r OFFICIAL BOND. 

Osceola County, Iowa. 

The official bond of F. M. Robinson, Auditor of Osceola 
County, Iowa, in the sum of Five Thousand Dollars with J. 
H. Winspear, H. R. Fenton and D. D. Doe as sureties is this 
day filed with the Auditor, and by him approved. 

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 
and affixed the seal of the Board of Supervisors of Wood- 
bury County, this 22nd day of March, A. D. 1872. 

Geo. W. Wakepield, 
I seal.] Auditor of Woodbury County, Iowa. 



CHAPTER I. 

History is always interesting, and there is sometliing pe- 
culiarly fascinating in the record of past events. We look for- 
ward with feelings of hope, of admiration and of ambition, but 
we look backward over the seemingly forgotten past in the 
spirit of meditation, and with our hearts concentrated upon the 
scenes and incidents of other days, and we ponder them with 
absorbing interest. The statements of history are sometimes 
doubted, and controversies arise which can end only in contro- 
versy, never settled, because the actors then in the drama of 
life are mouldering in forgotten and neglected graves. And 
even when the actors are still living, there often arises a dis- 
pute which history cannot fully settle, as demonstrated by the 
conflicting reports and statements of many a battle by partici- 
pants themselves in our civil war. Our history is one of com- 
parative recent events, whose pages turn back only two 
decades, and which our earliest settlers are familiar with, and 
which will be of much interest to the people of Northwest 
Iowa generally, and indeed to the people of all parts of the 
State. The intention of the writer in the history of Osceola 
County is not only to make record of such facts as pertain to 
its organization, its growth and progress, but also to weave in 
reminiscences and events connected with the early settlers, 
and make mention of every circumstance that will be of 
interest to the general reader. 

In the spring and summer of 1870, the fair and fertile 
prairie land of Osceola County was without a settler. The 
older parts of Iowa, with that instinctive feeling that an old 
settled countr}^ has for a new, regarded Northwest Iowa then 
as a barren and bleak part of the state, and as unfit for man's 
habitation; but before the close of that vear Mr. E. Huff came 
and filed on a claim November 3, which was the southwest 
quarter of Section 32, Towmship 98, Range 42, in what is now 
Oilman Township, so that this gentleman, now a non-resident, 
was the first settler. 

After Mr. Huff had made settlement as the law required, 
he retured to Beloit, in Lyon County, and remained there dur- 
ing the following winter. In the spring of 1871, while at 



12 HISTORr OF OSCEOLA COCNTl', IOWA. 

Sioux City, he came across C. M. Brooks, who was pushing 
west under the advice of the lamented and distinguished Hor- 
ace, but who had started for Nebraska. Mr. Huff explained 
to him the wonders of Osceola, and the graphic description he 
gave of this Garden of Eden resulted in Mr. Brooks coming to 
Osceola County. Mr. Brooks left behind him others, who 
were to follow when word was received where to go, and 
when he reached this County and looked upon its fair and 
fertile prairie land, he determined at once upon settlement 
here, and wrote to his friends to lose no time in hastening to 
this new and wonderful country. 

This correspondence brought W. W. Webb, D. L. Mc- 
Causland and M. J. Campbell, who, with C. M. Brooks, took 
Section 8, in Township 99, Range 41, now West Holman, 
each taking of it a quarter-section. Mr. McCausland and Mr. 
Webb came through with oxen, and Brooks and Campbell 
through to LeMars by rail. About this time, and we believe 
on the first day of May, 187 1, H. G. Doolittle, with James 
Richardson, from Floyd County, arrived at the house of E. 
Huff and remained over night. The next day they struck for 
claims; Doolittle settled on the southwest quarter of Section 
24, Township 99, Range 41, and Richardson on the same sec- 
tion. They built sod houses, and had some lumber with them. 
Mr. Richardson after being here a short time returned. 

Houston A. Doolittle, a brother of H. G., came in June, 
1 87 1, and tiled on Section 30, Township 99, Range 40. He 
left here in 1889, and now lives in Hancock County. H. G. 
Doolittle established a land business that year near Shaw's 
store, elsewhere referred to, and did business in a tent. He 
was engaged in locating incoming settlers, and did consider- 
able business. 

Returning again to Messrs. Webb and McCausland, they 
with the others. Brooks and Campbell, came from Fayette 
County. At the starting of Mr. Webb and McCausland with 
the oxen, Mr. McCausland was ill, indeed, low with consump- 
tion, but the idea of still going to a new country seemed to in- 
fuse new life in him, and his entire recovery afterwards was 
indeed miraculous. 

When Webb and McCausland got to Osceola County and 
came to the Ocheydan, McCausland, still weak, undertook to 
jump across the narrow stream and landed nearl}' to his neck 
in the middle. This was severe for a consumptive man near 
to death's door, but after a change of clothing he was all right 
again. This was in April, 1871, and the weather disagree- 




REV. JOHN WEBB. 



14 fflSTOR}' OF OSCEOLA COrNTF, /OU'A. 

able with rain and sleet. There is something wonderful in the 
mixture of ambition, of romance and love for a pioneer life, 
that will turn a seemingly disagreeable hardship into pleasure 
and enjoyment. The forces of nature seem to hold a man 
with peculiar devotion to a venturesome life in a new country; 
he can scale a cliff, cross troublesome streams, lay down con- 
tent on the damp ground, and stand all kinds of weather as 
long as the El Dorado is ahead of him, and, indeed, after it is 
reached. Webb and McCausland that night remained at the 
bank of the Ocheyedan, and crawled supperless into their 
wagon and slept soundly until morning. When morning came 
they drove on west and soon spied a sodded shack, which 
they reached, and, building a fire, had a good square meal. 
The shack evidently had been put up by a trapper, as some 
deer meat was hanging inside, but was alive with living evi- 
dences of decay. After breakfast they pushed on to the resi- 
dence of our first settler, Mr. E. Huff. Huff's house was one 
story, 12 b}^ i6. No windows had been put in and no door, 
but a blanket hung over the place of entrance. They re- 
mained over night, and besides them, within this limited habi- 
tation to slumber through, were Amos Buchman, with wife 
and five children, Huff and his family, James Richardson and 
H. G. Doolittle, and how they packed themselves around none 
of them seem to remember. Buchman had been there about 
one week, and had drove through with his* family from 
Buchanan County. 

That sort of hotel accommodations might strike an east- 
ern dude as somewhat inconvenient, but to those early settlers 
it was no doubt delightful and enjoyable in the highest degree. 
After a night at the "Huff" house, Webb and McCausland 
started back with Buchman to locate him where the trappers 
shack was, and, not knowing the exact spot or even the right 
direction, their going was somewhat devious, but they finally 
found it, and this claim Mr. Buchman at once settled upon 
and lived there until 1882, when he moved into Sibley. Mr. 
Buchman sold the claim this year (1892) and its description 
is the northeast quarter of Section 22, in Ocheyedan Town- 
ship. If any new settler ever had a hard time to get along, it 
was Amos Buchman and family the summer and fall of 1871. 
They lived on anything they could get; ground corn in a coffee 
mill, cauglit hawks, iDadgers, skunks and any other animal 
they could get hold of. Some friend living in Dickmson 
County sent his team before winter set in and removed the 
Buchman family to Milford, where they remained until the 



ITISTORl OF OSCEOLA COfWT)'. IOWA. 15 

spring of 1872, when they returned again to their claim. Mr. 
Buchman now resides at Sibley, one of its most respected citi- 
zens, and is able now to enjoy the comforts of life. 

In June, 1871, Elder John Webb, then living in Fayette 
County, came to Osceola, and along with the rest filed on a 
government claim, which was the southeast quarter Section 6, 
Township 99, Range 41. When the Elder first drove up to 
where his son, W. W. Webb, was, it was Sunday, and coming 
across D. L. McCausland with a gun on his shoulder, said to 
him, "Young man you are breaking the Sabbath." Mc re- 
torted and inquired, "Why are you not preaching? " 

In connection with the coming of these people from Fay- 
ette County, the writer wrote to Rev. John Webb, now living 
in Des Moines, for some contribution in regard to himself or 
his living here, which he thought might be of interest. Mr. 
Webb replied and contributed as follows: 

"In June, 1872, in company with Mr. James Block, I left 
Fayette County, this state, to visit m.y son and others who left 
Fayette to locate in Osceola County on government claims. 
I was directed from Lakeville to go to Ocheyedan Mound, and 
was told that when on the mound I could in all probability see 
the tents in which McCausland, Brooks and W. W. Webb 
were living. I went to the mound and on top of it, but could 
not see any signs of life in any direction. Mr. Block and my- 
self then went down to the banks of the Ocheyedan and 
camped for the night. The next morning we started in search 
of the boys, and about noon found them one mile east of where 
Sibley now is. We spent a few days with them, and our 
horses were picketed out by the fore leg. While the horses 
were thus secured, something gave them a fright, when they 
run the full length of the rope and brought up so suddenly 
both turned somersaults and one of them was killed. I liked 
the country, and that fall took charge of the Spirit Lake Cir- 
cuit, and the next year took charge of Sibley Circuit, and 
formed the first class ever formed in Osceola County at the 
house of A. M. Culver. I cannot remember all the members 
of the class, but Mrs. Culver, Annie Webb, Robert Stamm 
and wife, Mrs. Rodgers, Mrs. McCausland and Mr. Morrison 
and wife were among them. I built the first Methodist Episco- 
pal Church, or enclosed it, and Rev. Brasheers finished it. 

"While I was living at Sibley at that early day there was 
a young lawyer came to town, not very scrupulous, and per- 
suaded the board of supervisors to pay him $20,000 and he 
would recover certain moneys due from Woodbury County to 



16 llISTOm OF OSCEOLA COUiXTr, JOU'A. 

Osceola. I heard of it and \^'ent to the court house where the 
board was in session, requested them to hear me and they 
consented. I told them they would regret the day that they 
issued the warrant, and gave the general reasons why such an 
official act should not be done, and even as an outsider I made 
a motion, to the board and to the crowd, that Blackmer be 
allowed $500 retainer, and a per cent, afterwards, and I added 
to the motion that the hiring include all the lawyers, or the 
remainder will be coming in for a share. J. T. Barcley, Esq., 
who was standing close by me, moved an amendment that the 
preachers also be added, but they were not. This was the 
last ever heard of the suit against Woodbury County. 

"I continued to live in Osceola County, and in 1876 my 
first wife was taken from me by death, and I was afterwards 
married again to Mrs. A. D. Bellord, a sister of Captain 
Chase. I saw the County and town grow from a small be- 
ginning to a county well settled and a thriving town. I went 
from Sibley to Vermillion, S. D., where I remained not quite 
a year; then went to Kansas, where I was three years, and 
from there to Des Moines. I then went to California and re- 
mained there a year, when I longed for Iowa again and re- 
turned to it, where I shall spend the remainder of m}"^ days, 
for, take it as a whole, Iowa is ahead of all the rest of the uni- 
verse, and here let me abide and pass the remnant of this 
mortal career. 

"On my return from Osceola that early time, and after I 
had got to Independence, the hotel keeper, Mr. Naylor, asked 
me what the Osceola County people used for fuel. I told him 
principall}^ hay. I think I could have heard him laugh twenty 
miles away. 'Hay for fuel,' said the astonished listener, 'why 
the last armful would be consumed before they could get from 
the house to the stack and back again.' Notwithstanding, 
under the circumstances, hay was a pretty good fuel. 

" When our Methodist Church at Sibley was ready for 
dedication, we met Sabbath morning, and, just before time to 
commence public worship, and while some of us were stand- 
ing on the steps of the church, it was discovered that some- 
thino; was comino- from the Northwest, which looked like a 
cloud, but still it could be seen that it was not a cloud, and 
upon its nearer approach we could then see that it was a 
swarm of grasshoppers. This so disconcerted and discouraged 
the people that it was impossible to hold them for the purposes 
of dedication that day, and it was deferred. The ravages 
of these pests which followed are known to old settlers." 




D. L. McCAUSI.AND. 



CHAPTER II. 

The intention of the writer is to confine these events to 
the separate years as far as possible, and also to speak of 
townships separately, but after all they will be more or less 
blended. Having drifted into Ocheyedan Township by the 
location of Mr. Buchman, it is perhaps best to finish this 
township for the year 1871. Ocheyedan had no prospective 
railroad to cross it, which, perhaps, may be the reason that 
this township was not sooner settled, or its land filed upon as 
early as Holman. Buchman's place, meagre as it was, and 
not tempting to a traveler for hotel accommodations, was, 
nevertheless, a sort of headquarters between Western Osceola, 
Eastern Lyon and Milford and Spencer; and the boys had 
many a rollicking time at the Buchman habitation. About 
the first of May, 1871, Will Dunham and Fred Frick settled 
on Section 8 in Ocheyedan Township. Frick lived there 
a]:)out four years, and Dunham went to California in 1882. 
On Section 18, we think the southwest quarter, Ole Peterson 
settled. 

This same summer of 187 1 also came A. B. Elmore, L. 
G. Ireland and E. N. Moore; these came from Clayton 
County, also Elder Dean. Mr. Elmore first filed on a part of 
Section 34, m Horton Township, but afterwards settled on 
Section 2 in Ocheyedan, where he still resides and is highly 
respected. E. N. Moore settled on Section 4, in Ocheyedan, 
as did also Elder B. D. Dean. Mr. Moore still owns the same 
quarter-section, but resides now in the Town of Ocheyedan, is 
postmaster, and considered one of its best citizens. Elder 
Dean is now in Exeter, New Hampshire, and left Osceola 
County in 1878. L. G. Ireland, who was a very honorable 
and conscientious man, left in 1879 "^^^^ ^'^^ family and moved 
to Florida. They have since all died. 

On the northwest quarter of Section 20 lived Fred Nagg. 
These comprise the settlements made in Ocheyedan in 1871. 
Nothing was raised that season by these settlers, and the sum- 
mer was uneventful, except a severe hail storm which swept 
this part of the County and was unusually severe. Mr. 
Buchman lost a cow and a calf in this storm; they probably 
went with it, as cattle will; at any rate he never saw them 
afterward. 



HISTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 19 

The winter of 1871 and 1872 was a disagreeable one, but 
most of the Ocheydan settlers wintered elsewhere. Those 
that remained on their claims were Dunham and Frick, Ole 
Peterson and Fred Nagg. The Nagg family had a hard time 
of it. They lived in a sodded house, small and cold, and kept 
a yoke of oxen in the same room, ground corn to live upon, 
and cut weeds and fed to the oxen to keep them alive. Their 
lot seemed to be a hard one, and indeed it was. Had they 
been there by order of some despotic ruler, as a convict goes 
to Siberia, it w^ould have been unbearable, but thoughts of the 
coming spring time, and of the green grass and wild flowers 
of the beautiful prairie which would return in the summer 
before them, kindled the joyous feehng of promise and of 
hope, and gave them a heart of sunshine, even amid the snows 
of winter. But, alas, before the hoped for spring time had 
come to this poverty stricken family, that grim reaper Death, 
which stalks unbidden ahke into the palaces of the rich and 
the hovels of the poor, sought out upon the bleak prairies of 
Ocheyedan during that hard winter of 1871 and 1872 the head 
of the household Fred Nagg himself, and this terrible atflic- 
tiou just then laid a burden of sorrow upon the family which 
in addition to their abject condition of poverty seemed greater 
than they could bear. Nagg had started on foot for Roger's 
store during the latter part of that winter, the only store then 
where Sibley now is, obtained a few needed and indispensable 
articles, and left the store to return to his family, but he never 
reached them. He had a hand sled and was overtaken with 
a blizzard and sudden cold weather. He was not sutTiciently 
clad even for weather less severe, and, becoming numbed and 
senseless by the cold and storm, lay down and died. This 
blizzard, on February 12, 1872, lasted three days, and at its 
commencement there were about sixteen men at Roger's store 
in from then- claims. They all started home. Some reached 
there and others stopped with some settlers on the way. After 
the storm was over word had been received that Nagg had 
not reached home, and J. F. Glover, M. J. Campbell, C. M. 
Brooks, Al Halstead, F. F. and Eugene White started out and 
followed Nagg's sled trail. About seven miles out southeast 
from Sibley they found the sled and sack; wolves had clawed 
into the sack and eaten a part of the contents. The party 
were unable to find Nagg's body, but went to the house and 
consoled his wife as best they could, holding out a hope that 
he might still be alive. His body was found afterwards in 
the latter part of March, 1872, by W. H. Lean, and it was 



20 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

partially eaten by the wolves. Nagg was buried on his claim, 
and, there being no clergyman to conduct the usual funeral 
exercises, Frick read the burial service from an Episcopal 
prayer book. The few that remained in Ocheyedan Town- 
ship during that winter of 1871 and 1872 had nothing to 
break the monotony of pioneer life, so far as mingling in 
society was concerned, but going to Sibley occasionally, and 
trapping some, was all the diversion within reach of these few 
settlers. 

In the fall of 1871 Frick came near having serious 
trouble with an adventurous immigrant pushing out into the 
wild and wooly west. He had some cattle with him and one 
of them had strayed away at night, and when Frick got up 
one morning he* saw not far off what he supposed was an elk 
feeding quietly on the prairie. Frick was a hunter, and the 
sight of this supposed elk thrilled every inch of his stature, 
and he moved about with the stealth of an Indian for fear that 
the slightest noise would frighten this valuable game and send 
it fleet-footed out of rifle reach. Frick got good and ready, 
pointed his rille out of the shanty window, took a good rest 
and deliberate aim and fired. The object of his mark fell under 
the aim of the skillful hunter and he rushed out to the bleed- 
ing body of his victim, but instead of an elk Frick's surprised 
eyes and astonished senses gazed upon only a cow. It was 
meat, however, if not venison, and Frick hauled the carcass 
to his house and proceeded to do the usual carving into roasts 
and steaks, when a stranger appeared upon the scene, who 
was no other than the owner of the cow which had strayed 
away. Circumstantial evidence, as the lawyers call it, was 
strong against Frick, pointing to theft malicious and intended, 
and the moving immigrant was about to paralyze everything 
in reach of him. Frick explained, however, apologized, and 
scraped together what loose change he had and gave it to the 
owner of the cow, who went on his way again satisfied and 
contented. 

A. M. Culver came to the County in the spring of 1871. 
He settled and filed on the southeast quarter of Section 24, 
Township 99, Range 42. 

The previous year, in 1870, he had left the State of Wis- 
consin and gone to Mills County, in Iowa, and from Mills 
County he drove through to Osceola, bringing with him three 
horses, a wagon and buggy, also two cows. His family came 
with him, c(jnsisling of his wife, one son and a daughter. Mr. 
Culver and family did the best they could with the shelter of 








}:?l't^kfU 




GEORGE CAREW 



22 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

a. wagon cover, while his son, Andrew, went to LeMars and 
got Cottonwood lumber enough to build a house, which they^ 
soon did, 12 by 14 in size. Mr. Culver broke nine acres that 
year and put them into wheat and six acres into oats, and 
raised an average crop on the sod. When Mr. Culver came 
first without the family he landed at Huff's house, the first 
settler and heretofore described, and there being quite a num- 
ber there that night, he was among the usual number laid out 
in rows on the floor. Huff and Brooks located Culver on his 
quarter-section. On the same section there was also located 
and settled that year Andrew Culver, Geo. W. Bean and R. 
O. Manson. 

John F. Glover landed in Sibley in the latter part of 
August, 1 87 1, and settled on the southwest quarter of Section 
4, Township 99, Range 41. Mr. Glover's coming was by 
meeting Stiles and F. M. Robinson at Sioux City. Glover put 
up the usual settler's shack, and obtained his lumber from 
Windom, Minnesota, going for it with a yoke of oxen and 
wagon. 

After these incoming settlers had established a home, the 
next thing was to find out who their neighbors were, and in 
this year of 187 1 they were few and far between. 

Some other things to think about, and among these some- 
thing to eat. Glover made frequent trips hunting, but seemed 
to be unsuccessful. While in McCausland's neighborhood, 
Mc returned from a trip to Spirit Lake and reported that Rush 
Lake, near Ocheyedan, was alive with ducks, and Glover be- 
came so excited over the pictured description of vast lakes 
and ponds covered with game, that he organized a hunting 
party, consisting of himself, McCausland and Luther Webb, 
who started the next day with oxen and a wagon, with which 
conveyance the ducks and geese were to be carted home. 
They arrived safely at Rush Lake, and sure enough McCaus- 
land had not overdrawn the amount of game. They had no 
boat, and anyone who knows Rush Lake, knows the difliculty 
of getting game there without a float of some kind. Before 
the boys had hardly appeared at the edge of the water on oite 
side, the entire army of ducks had moved to the other side, 
out of reach, and by running around from one side to the 
other, the boys became about exhausted. Finally Glover 
gathered pieces of the wagon, some brush, and a decent sized 
tree or two and formed a raft sufficient, as he believed, to 
float himself out on the lake, and on it started. When out 
about twenty feet the frail craft, like man}^ an air castle, fell 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 23 

to pieces, and its only passenger went reluctantly into the 
water. He soon got out, however, and this dampened all the 
ardor of hunting on his part, and the other two were tired and 
discouraged. Webb then started with his oxen to Milford and 
left McCausland and Glover to tramp twelve miles home, 
which they did. Just as they were starting McCausland 
brought down a brandt, and, this being the only game they 
got, with it they started home, and it was near night. They 
had brought with them some cooked beans in an iron pot, and 
a loaf of bread; when the brandt was secured it was decided 
that bread and beans were nowhere in comparison with a 
roasted fowl, so that, hungr}- as they were, their appetite was 
reserved until they could get home. At last they reached 
McCausland's house, and Mc sent Glover to Roger's store, 
three miles, for some necessary articles for the square meal, 
and to a settler's shack for something else. Glover returned 
with the articles and Mc had the brandt stuffed and in the 
oven roasting, but himself was laid out on the bed. The oil}' 
odor from the fowl on an empty stomach had sickened him, 
and Glover was left alone until C M. Brooks happened to 
arrive, when he and Glover got the table set, the roast on, and 
the two of them sat down to a rich feast for homesteaders. 
But alas for the dreams of fancy, the visions of bliss and the 
tempting measures of delight, in which we too often indulge, 
that are at last turned into the bitterness of gall in the round 
up of indulgence. Glover and Brooks were soon laid out 
groaning in the agony of too much brandt, and the oily condi- 
tion of the fowl made them too sick to hope ever to make final 
proof on a government claim, the taking of which had been 
the leading ambition of their lives. Their extreme sickness 
revived Mc and he ate the beans and the bread, and towards 
morning Glover and Brooks got around all right again, but 
like a victim of seasickness not a thing was left in them, and 
as Mc had ate all the grub in the house, the three of them 
started out for something to eat, and before they got through 
they had nearly eaten the whole neighborhood out of house 
and home, and that day there was a tramping to Roger's 
store for a fresh supply. This sickened Glover for a while 
on wild fowl; his hunting excursions after that were few and 
far between, but it seems that another ducking was still in 
store for him. He concluded that housekeeping was not well 
done without vegetables, and nothing seemed to be in sight 
but potatoes, and the nearest these could be had was thirteen 
miles, but Glover had been a soldier and could walk like a 



24 HISTOR7' OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 

professional. He started with a sack and went southeast until 
he came to the Ocheyedan, and when he got to that the water 
was well up and the difficulty of crossing was before him. 
There was a small skiff there owned by Ole Peterson, and 
soon Peterson himself appeared, and, after reciting his experi- 
ences as a sailor and his capabilities as a boatman, induced 
Glover to get aboard, and taking a wagon bow for a paddle 
started out with the frail craft to ferry the now Mayor of Sib- 
ley across the troublesome stream. Men are apt to make too 
little margin for what might happen, often miscalculate in 
more serious adventures than this, and often start out in the 
bouyancy of expectation, but fall into difficulty with sudden 
and unexpected precipitation. When in the middle of the 
stream, Peterson, who was standing up in the boat, fell on one 
side of it, and himself and Glover went suddenly into the 
water, and, having no further use for the boat in the interests 
of navigation, they struck out. Glover for one side of the river 
and Peterson for the other, and when landed they stood drip- 
ping with the waters of the Ocheyedan on opposite banks, gaz- 
ing at each other, Peterson filling the air with profanity, and 
Glover wondering if Peterson hadn't overdrawn his experi- 
ences as a follower of the seas. 




J. S. REYNOLDS. 



CHAPTER III. 

The people then living in Osceola County in 1871, did 
not often get together, only as a neighborhood would gather 
for social purposes. There were not many in the county in 
1 87 1. The county was sparsely settled. It was 

"The first low wash of waves, where soon 
Would roll a human sea." 

The first meeting of the people was held at Abraham 
Miller's place, near Sibley. It was called for the purpose 
of establishing mail facilities, and to provide for bringing the 
mail from Le Mars to Shaw's store, then near Ashton, This 
was the ostensible purpose, and mail arrangements were pro- 
vided for, but back of it all there were a few political schemes, 
and several ambitious aspirants for office at the coming elec- 
tion who wanted to look the crowd over, get acquainted, and 
try to make the usual favorable impression in order to suc- 
ceed in making a harvest of votes. If a yankee should be 
cast away on a desolate island, the first thing he would no 
doubt do, would be to divide the territory into election pre- 
cints, and the next thing to call a caucus. The people of 
Osceola then were strangers to each other, and while other 
things may have been left behind them at the old home, the 
great feeling of sovereignty, realization of the fact that each 
was an individual citizen and could vote and hold office, were 
a part of their nature, and in this respect they were alike 
without even a formal introduction. Abraham Miller was 
chairman of the meeting, and Cyrus M. Brooks, secretar}'. 

The next meeting of the people was held on the 4th da}' 
of Jul}^, 1 87 1. It will be noticed that the first organization of 
Osceola was brought about by act of Woodbury County 
Board of Supervisors. Osceola was then a part of Wood- 
bury for judicial purposes, and, under the law, for all other 
also, so that Woodbury's act constituted a division of territory. 
In other words, Woodbury set Osceola up in business for 
itself. As provision had been made in the Woodbury County 
proceedings for the election of Osceola County officers at the 
general election in 1 871, it became the duty of Osceola Count}' 
people to fix upon somebody to fill each of the offices, and to 
prepare candidates for them who should be in the field for 



HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 27 

election. The order for the election of officers was made in 
June, 1871, and as July 4th was approaching, it was thought 
best by the people of Osceola County to meet on that day, and 
celebrate with the usual exercises and at the same time nom- 
inate candidates for County offices. 

The outside world was full of glory and enthusiasm, the 
air was filled with noise and pyrotechnics, and the voices of 
American orators were sounding the distinguished valor and 
heroism of our canonized ancestors. The little band of 
Osceola County settlers met together with a quaker quiet- 
ness, comparatively speaking. They had their lunch baskets 
and were socially agreeable, but the cannon, the fire cracker 
and fire works were conspicuously absent. The meeting was 
held on A. M. Culver's claim on Section 24, Township 99, 
Range 41, and was called and intended, as before stated, not 
only to observe and recognize the great American hohday, 
but also to place in nomination candidates to fill the county 
offices at the first election to be held in October, 1871. 
At that time none knew each others quahfications, except 
where men had come from the same neighborhood in other 
parts of the country. The men to be nominated and elected 
were to have the trial of service, were to be weighed in the 
balance, and given the opportunity to prove their fitness, or to 
be found unworthy of the trust that was imposed in them. 
H. G. Doolittle was chosen chairman of the meeting and 

secretary. A few patriotic remarks were made 

and the meeting proceeded to make its nominations. The fol- 
lowing named persons were put in nomination : 

Treasurer, E. Huff. 

Recorder, D. L. McCausland. 

Sheriff, Jeff Cutshall. 

Superintendent of Schools, Delily Stiles. 

Clerk of Courts, Cyrus M. Brooks. 

Auditor, McDonald. 

( J. H. Winspear. 

Supervisors, I H. R. Fenton. 

( George Spaulding. 

(^Robert Stamm. 

„ , T. X- -r , J W. W. Webb. 

Holmon 1 ownship Irustees,-^ t^ 1 o m 

^ I r'rank Stiles. 

^ H. R. Hayes. 

There was present at this meeting, including all, about 

one hundred. The business and visiting were ended the latter 

part of the afternoon and the people dispersed. 



28 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

It might be well to follow these nominations to the elec- 
tion which followed in October. At this election there were 
no contentions of political parties. The contest involved no 
controversy, except individual success, and there was no regu- 
lar opposition ticket. There were independent candidates, 
however, and the nominated ticket was not wholly successful. 
A. M. Culver was elected Treasurer as an independent candi- 
date over E. Huff, the regular nominee. F. M. Robinson was 
an independent candidate for Auditor, and himself and the 
nominee, McDonald, were a tie on the election. This tie had 
to be decided by drawing lots, and the drawing resulted in 
favor of Robinson, so that Robinson became Auditor. John 
Beaumont was the independent candidate against McCausland, 
but McCausland was elected. When the time to qualify 
came, McCausland was away teaching school, and the board 
in January, 1872, felt inclined to declare the office vacant, and 
appointed John Beaumont, Recorder. Afterwards McCaus- 
land sent his bond, and upon his return, had some little trouble 
to get possession of the office; but finally obtained it. Cut- 
shall and his independent opponent both tied, and when the 
drawing was to take place neither were present, so the board 
on January 3, 1872, appointed Frank Stiles. 

There was at this time under the organization only three 
townships in the county, and this October election was held in 
Goewey Township at the house of E. Huff; in Holman Town- 
ship at A. M. Culver's house, and in Horton Township at the 
house of H. R. Fenton. • 

The final outcome resulted in the following named per- 
sons filling the places: 

Treasurer, A. M. Culver. 

Recorder, D. L. McCausland. 

Auditor, F. M. Robinson. 

Clerk of Courts, Cyrus M. Brooks. 

Surveyor, M. J. Campbell. 

Coronor, J. D. Hall. 

Superintendent of Schools, Delily Stiles. 

Drainage Commissioner, John Beaumont, 
f J. H. Winspear. 

Supervisors, I George Spaulding. 
( H. R. Fenton. 

There were cast at this election in all at the three polhng 
places, votes. 

The County was now fully organized, and the Board of 
Supervisors had their meetmg January i, 1872. 




JOHN L. ROBINSON. 



30 HI STORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

The proceedings of the board during the first year of its 
administration are told in another part of this book and we 
need not here recite them again. The record and the 
unwritten history of this first year, and a part of the second 
year, shows that a few unprincipled men came to Osceola 
County for the sole and only purpose of plunder. These few 
gathered some friends around them — really had a party — many 
of whom had no share in the spoils, but were made to believe 
that the leaders were only doing what the good of the County 
demanded, and that the opposition were indignant because 
they were out of office and not in. 

There is a certain stubbornness in all our natures, which 
we often assert, sometimes in the wrong direction, just because 
some trivial thing has thrown us with this side or that, and 
occasionally conviction itself will be suppressed by a stand 
first taken and stubbornly kept. These two parties each had 
their friends, and were about equally divided, the reform party, 
however, being mostly in the country outside of the town. 
Once allied with one side or the other it seemed difficult to 
change, as it is now difficult to go from one political party to 
the other when we have once identified ourselves with that of 
our choice. Some of the people in 1872 and 1873 who joined 
themselves with the boodlers were not — we will be charitable 
enough to admit — boodlers with them. There were honora- 
ble exceptions, strange as it may seem. George Spaulding, 
who was one of the County Supervisors first elected, and 
served with Fenton and Winspear, lives in Osceola still, and 
is a man highly respected. He has held office in Goewey 
Township, the place of his residence, several different times, 
and is now on the School Board. Mr. Spaulding is looked 
upon as a man of integrity and a good citizen. He was made 
to believe that his co-members of the board, though inclined 
to extravagance, were working for the best interests of the 
County, and it is conceded that Mr. Spaulding acted conscien- 
tiously in his official acts, and though now he may see some 
things upon which he would vote differently, he felt at the 
time that his action was right. He would now be voted for 
with the full confidence of his fellow citizens. 



CHAPTER IV. 

John H. Douglass came to Osceola County in October, 
187 1, driving through by wagon from Wisconsin. He had 
with him his wife and daughter, now Mrs. Henry Newell, 
and son, Mr. Douglass filed on the southwest quarter of 
Section 14, Township no. Range 42, and made the usual 
settlement and improvements required of a settler, and in 
November of that year went to Alamakee County, Iowa, for 
the winter. In the spring of 1872, Mr. Douglass and family 
returned to their claim, and got here towards the latter part 
of March. He started before the frost was out of the ground 
and while the roads might be fit for travel, but when he 
reached Osceola County, it was breaking up, and the spring 
weather had thawed the snow away and the rivers and creeks 
were running with water. Mr. Douglass came to the Ocheye- 
dan, that treacherous stream with which every incoming settler 
seems to have had an adventure, and the prospect of getting 
over was unfavorable, for the appearance of the stream to 
cross it was neither promising nor inviting. Douglass arrived 
at the bank of the Ocheyedan at the Buchman place on the 
evening of March 7? 1872. The river was narrow at this 
point but was yet filled with snow, but soft and watery on the 
surface. He first assisted his family across, and after this was 
done together with the transportation of a few articles, he was 
making arrangements to get the horses and wagon over, when 
the water began to pour down the river over the snow, which 
startled Douglass with surprise, and confronted him with a 
difficulty entirely unexpected. He unhitched the horses, tied 
them to the wagon and then started across, wading in the 
water on the snow, treading lightly, knowing the danger of 
being completely submerged. But it seems that he was not 
to escape so easily, for when about midway down, in he went, 
and when the bottom was reached his head was just above 
water. There happened to be at the Buchman shack H, G. 
Doolittle and his brother. These, with the Douglass family, 
rescued the venturesome settler and brought him out on the 
bank, but in a deplorable condition of wet and cold. The 
next morning the river was still worse, but the Douglass effects 
were divided and something had to be done. The horses and 



32 HISrbRT OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 

the wagon with the household goods, including a barrel of 
pork and two pigs in a box strapped on behind, were on the 
other side, and they must be brought over, let the sacrifice be 
what it may. Douglass, with a board or two, a rope and such 
other devices as the ingenuity of man will bring into requisi- 
tion under such circumstances, was enabled to get over to his 
effects, and, finding them all right, the troublesome question 
again arose as to how to get them over. Douglass on one 
side and his friends and family on the other, discussed the 
difficulty in all its bearings, and the task seemed to be hope- 
less, and the question without any probability of solution. 
Finally Douglass was seized with an idea. He had tied to 
the wagon a red cedar bedstead, which had come down as an 
heir loom in his wife's family from the old Knickerbocker 
days in New York State, and which had been prized from 
generation to generation. It was of the old-fashioned kind, 
about enough material in it to have absorbed a lumber yard, 
and with posts of enormous length and size. Douglass got 
this out, and by a system of mechanical contrivance formed a 
raft that seemed capable of greater navigation than that for 
which it was intended. Mrs. Douglass protested, but had to 
look on while this sacred relic from her ancesters was fast be- 
ing transformed from its original construction, into nothing but 
a float for the purpose of ferrying. John succeeded, however, 
with the help of the others, in taking over the barrel of pork 
and the other household goods, until all was over except the 
horses and wagon. He tied a rope to one horse and this to 
the other and they were led single file, and by swimming and 
clambering they were soon on the other bank. Then came 
the wagon. With this, they tied a rope in the end of the 
tongue and hitching the rope to the horses started with the 
wagon across. When the hind end of the wagon went down 
the bank, the box with the pigs in struck the bank and broke 
off, letting the pigs loose, and they went squeaHng away, glad 
to escape. The tongue stuck into the opposite bank, but this 
was soon pulled loose and the wagon drawn out. The pigs, 
with the aid of the family dog, were soon caught and got over, 
and Douglass heaved a sigh of relief. It took all day, how- 
ever, to do the crossing, and the next day he started on north- 
west to his claim, and came near having the same experiences 
in crossing the Otter that he had at the Ocheyedan, but he 
finally landed at his shack and soon was set up in the usual 
style of homesteader h(nisekeeping. 

William Anderson came with Douglass in 1871. He also 




S. A. DOVE. 



34 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COrNTl', IOWA. 

settled on a claim and lived here, we think, until 1877, when 
he returned to Wisconsin, and now lives at Sparta. 

The spring of 1872 was a troublesome one in Osceola 
County for traveling. Then the streams had no bridges, and 
the treacherous snow underlying the surface water was not 
inviting to venture in. After a limited thaw in the fore part 
of March there was part of a brief winter again, and it seemed 
to the people then that an actual spring was never coming. 

Quite a number of the early settlers came from Grant 
County, Wisconsin, so that even if they didn't know each other 
there, when acquaintance was made between these Wisconsin 
people it established a mutual feeling of interest in each other, 
for there is always an attachment arises between people of 
the same nativity, where the same sights and scenes were 
familiar to them all. 

D. D. McCallum also came from Grant County, Wiscon- 
sin. He started from there the fore part of May and drove 
to Clayton County, and soon after on to Osceola County, 
where he arrived about the middle of June, and on the 25th 
day of June, 1S72, filed on northwest quarter 'of Section 14, 
Township 99, Range 40, what is now West Ocheyedan. 
McCallum drove in with three horses and a linch-pin wagon; 
had with him his wife and one child (now Mary McCallum); 
had a few household goods, pork enough to last several years 
and $105 in money. He first struck the Ocheyedan River at 
what was called the Lone Tree ford, drove northwest until 
he came to Mandeville Homestead, on Section 26, Township 
99, Range 41, and there he camped for the night. The next 
day he went to Buchman's, riding one horse and leading 
another. Buchman mounted the other horse and the two men 
rode over the country looking for a claim upon which 
McCallum could settle. He finally selected the one before 
described, went to Sibley the next day, borrowed a saddle 
from Ward — leaving his revolver as security — and started for 
Sioux City, where he arrived safely and did his filing. Mc- 
Callum's first habitation after settlement was his wagon cover, 
and once installed in this he went to work breaking, and 
planted some potatoes. He soon after put up a sod house, 
lived on the claim until 1878, when he moved into Sibley. 
McCallum, like a great many others in those early days, had 
a hard time of it. Soon his money was gone, no income was 
in sight, and only those of the McCallum pluck were able to 
see it through. His house, lumber and furniture, and all its 
belongings, cost about $20; so that in those days of settle- 




A. D. INIORELAND. 



36 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 

ment our ex-Judge was not in shape to entertain any of the 
kid glove or swallow-tail-coat members of fashionable society. 

In the winter of 1872 and 1873 McCallum was in Sioux- 
City chopping wood, and remained there until the memorable 
blizzard in the spring of 1873, when, feeling alarmed about 
his family, he returned home. Soon after this in the summer 
season Elder Dean while burning the prairie grass around his 
property, carelessly let the fire get away from him, and it 
swept, as a prairie fire will when turned loose, all over the 
country. This fire swept away all McCallum's hay and all 
other loose property, except the house. 

The Elder, in spite of all his religious graces, his Godly 
ways and good intentions, was very much blamed for his care- 
lessness, and had he been a layman it is hard to tell what 
might have occurred as a penalty. As it was, McCallum had 
the Elder arrested, brought before a Justice, who found the 
accused guilty and fined him $5 and costs, which he paid. 
The Board of Supervisors had offered a reward of $50 for 
the apprehension and conviction of a party who was the cause 
of a prairie fire. McCallum in this case was entitled to it and 
got it. This affair did not cause any hard feelings between 
the Elder and McCallum; indeed, the Elder had not the 
slightest animosity, for he was a man of broad views, kind 
and charitable, as well as a sincere Christian. McCallum 
rode home with the Elder and staid all night at the Elder's 
house, and out of the $50 McCallum magnanimously reim- 
bursed him for all the outlay and trouble he had been put to, 
though brought about by his own carelessness. In other 
words, McCallum whacked up with the Elder. 

Prairie fires then in this sparsely settled country were 
very much to be feared. Whenever they occurred but few 
were prepared for them. They were not set maliciously, nor 
with any intention to do harm, but were always the result of 
carelessness or inability to hold them against sudden puffs of 
wind unexpected, when the burning around was done with a 
still atmosphere. 




1 ' 

\ 
WILL THOMAS. 



CHAPTER V. 

Most people who settled in Osceola County in 1871, did 
not, in starting out, make directly for the county, but started 
for government land in Northwest Iowa. In the spring of 
187 1, Frank R. Coe left Clayton County, Iowa, as sort of an 
advance guard for several of his neighbors who had the 
western fever. He arrived in Osceola County and filed that 
same spring on the northwest quarter of Section 22, Town- 
ship 99, Range 41, now East Holman, and then returned to 
his friends, for whom also he had picked out claims. Among 
these was J. S. Reynolds, present County Auditor. Coe and 
Reynolds came up in September, 1871, and Reynolds filed on 
the northeast quarter of Section 22, the same section with 
Coe. They made the usual improvements required for a 
government settler, and returned again to Clayton County, 
where they wintered. In the spring of 1872, they returned 
to their claims. Reynolds drove through with two yoke of 
oxen, and had with him his son Samuel, then about twelve 
years old. Coe had a span of horses and a wagon heavil}' 
loaded with the requirements of a settler. They got to Mil- 
ford between the first and the middle of March, and after the}- 
had reached Milford there was a heavy fall of snow, and to 
push through this and run the risk of bhzzards was a task 
they hesitated to undertake. The last shack for them to pass 
after leaving Milford was about ten miles out, and they would 
pass no other between that and the Ocheyedan. They started 
from Milford, Reynolds going ahead with his oxen to break 
the road, and Coe following behind. After they had passed 
the last shack about a mile, its occupant came after them and 
insisted upon their return, as it would be dangerous with 
threatening weather to go on. The}^ did return and remained 
with this settler several days. They started out again when 
a change in the weather came on, and again they returned 
and tarried several days more, when they started again. This 
time they reached the Buchman dug-out, but everything 
seemed to be covered with snow. This was about March 
1 8th, and they reached this stopping place in the evening. 
They went to work and about two hours had the snow cleared 



^^^r"- ■> 







A. E. SMITH. 



40 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT 1'. IOWA. 

away from the stable so they could get their teams in, which 
they did, and also themselves stayed there all night. In the 
morning they shoveled the snow from the dug-out so they 
could get into that, and there they remained about two weeks 
with bad weather and occasional blizzards. I'hey had heard 
of the death of Fred Nagg, lost in a blizzard, and knew the 
danger of being caught in one of them on the open prairie, 
and they were wise in their apprehensions. At the end of 
about two weeks the weather and travel became such that 
they pushed on and soon after got to their claims. When 
once there they commenced improvements. Their stable was 
made out of a few boards they borrowed from some other 
settler, and with these and the wagon covers they constructed 
a shelter for the stock and built it across the line between the 
claims so that both owned the stable jointly. They then 
drove to Worthington and bought lumber for shacks, and 
bouefht it of Levi Shell, who was then in the lumber business 
at that point. Reynolds put up the usual 8x8 shack, and Coe 
one that was 8x12. Coe's family soon followed, but Reynold's 
famil}^ did not come until in September following. This left 
Reynolds to wrestle with the pots and kettles, and no doubt 
his batching was like all the rest, with the washing of dishes 
repeatedly deferred, and most meals consisting of a chunk of 
bread and a slice of fresh pork, and perhaps an occasional 
luxury of black molasses. His family met with a misfortune 
after his leaving by the burning of the house in which they 
lived with all its contents. They arrived safely in September 
in Osceola County, and the family was again united and are 
still here with the grown up children having families of their 
own. Coe left here several years ago. 

In the summer of 187 1, Will Thomas, present Clerk of 
Court, left Wisconsin with a covered wagon, containing him- 
self and three sisters. There was also with him in another 
covered wagon James G. Miller and his wife, who was also a 
sister to Mr. Thomas. They started for Nebraska, but came 
across some parties bound for Northwestern Iowa, upon which 
Thomas and Miller also concluded to go in the same direction, 
which they did, and landed in Osceola County in June of that 
year. They were about one month on the road, and linall}' 
located on Section 22, in what is now Wilson Township. 
Thomas took the northeast quarter. Miller the northwest, 
and the girls claims adjoining. When about a mile from the 
section where the claims were taken they camped for the 
night, using the wagon with its covering for a sleeping place 




F. W. HAHN. 



42 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTl', fOWA. 

and a shelter. During the night a storm came up which was 
very severe, and the wind, hail and rain with frequent flashes 
of lightning were terrible. Will Thomas and his companions 
got out of the wagon, and soon a gust of wind tipped the 
wagon over, the horses got loose and run away, but returned 
after being gone about three hours. W. M. Bull was camp- 
ing near by, with his wagon cover for a tent, and the bows 
stuck into the ground. W. P. Underwood also was near with 
his wagon box and its cover set off on the ground. There 
was considerable stirring around among these campers, for 
the night was fearful and frightening. The Miss Thomas' 
sought shelter in the Underwood camp, and they all managed 
to worry through until morning. Of the three young ladies 
who experienced this midnight adventure, one of them is now 
the wife of Dr. Lawrence, another the wife of John P. 
Hawxshurst, and the other at home with her mother and Will 
Thomas, who constitute the family. Mr. Miller still lives in 
the County at Sibley. 




JOHN SCHLEGEL. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Referring again to the incoming of Messrs. Brooks, Mc- 
Causland, Webb and Campbell who settled on section 8 in 
the spring of 187 1; they went to work and made continued 
improvements on their claims. While they were visiting with 
each other one day during the summer, they saw a covered 
wagon approaching and heard the sound of a voice singing 
"One Day's Journey Nearer Home." When the wagon had 

got up and stopped, it was found to contain John Cronk, 

Coy and James Hankins, this last mentioned being a Methodist 
preacher, and it was he who was singing a Methodist hymn. 
The following day Hankins preached in Brook's house, to an 
audience of about twelve, and these were the first religious 
exercises held in the County, according to Webb's account of 
it. During the preaching Mrs. Brooks kept on with her 
bread making, for they couldn't live on faith alone, and this is 
told in the following article, written by John F. Glover, on the 
death of Mrs. Brooks which occurred at Denver in 1884: 

DEATH OF A PIONEER WOMAN. 

In the summer and fall of 187 1, the wives of C. M. 
Brooks, M.J. Campbell, W. W. Webb and D. L. McCausland, 
entered on pioneer life with their husbands, all four families 
having claims on Section 8, Range 99, Township 41, the sec- 
tion on which are now the farms of Deacon Herbert and Mr. 
Deitz. The settlements were made on Section 8 before there 
was a single soul on Section 13, Range 99, Township 42, 
where is now the flourishing town of Sibley. Mr. Brooks 
was in the land locating business, and his house was a home 
that summer for several of the women. Mrs. Brooks was 
the daughter of Rev. John Webb, a Methodist minister of 
Fayette, Iowa, later a pioneer settler and minister in Osceola 
County, still later a pioneer Presiding lilder in Dakota Terri- 
tory, and now residing in Des Moines. She' was very attrac- 
tive in person, possessed of a good mind, and had a sensible 
way of doing the best that circumstances would permit, for 
the comfort of her household, and doing the best she could to 
be content. The following anecdote will illustrate her faithful 
performance of household duties: The greater than usual 
number of new comers at Mr. Brooks' made it necessary to 




NORTHWESTERN STATE BANK, SIBLEY. 



46 HISTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

bake bread on the Lord's Day, and while the baking was go- 
ing on, the little pioneer congregation gathered in the room to 
listen to a preacher — one of the new comers. In the same 
room were the baker and the preacher, and as the minister 
went forward with his discourse, so did " Mel," as Melvina 
Brooks was called by her relatives and near friends, go on 
with her baking. She realized that on her depended the feel- 
ing of hungry men, with appetites such as only pioneering 
brino-s to the table. Mrs. Brooks was the Martha of that 
little company. While others had nothing to do but listen, she 
had work to do for the listeners. She could both hear and 
work, and right down before the minister she baked the bread 
of earth while he spoke the bread of Heaven, and she did her 
work as well and as honestly as the preacher did his. It was 
thus she went forward doing the things most necessary to be 
done, and though possessed of a not very bad robust constitu- 
tion did her full measure of work — having less in mind her 
own strength than the comfort of those around her. 



CHAPTER VII. 

The western part of the County was settled tirst, owing 
to the prospective incoming railroad. Goewey Township and 
Oilman were as early settled as any, and, indeed, the very 
first settler took his claim in Oilman. 

In 187 1 there was living in O'Brien County, where 
Primghar now is, Mr. Charles F. Allbright. His home was 
a small one, we should judge 14x20, one story with small 
addition. This house was the general stopping place, not 
only for people from the north part of O'Brien County, but 
also Southern Osceola. It will be understood that at this 
time there was no railroad, and freight was hauled mostly from 
Cherokee, and the Allbright house was about the only one on 
the road in O'Brien County in making trips to and from 
Cherokee. 

Mr. A. H. Lyman made the first track across the County 
from Allbright's to Goewey Township, and Mr. Lyman came 
into Osceola County in March, 1871. He came from Grant 
County, Wisconsin, and first settled upon and done his filing 
on the northeast quarter of Section 26, Township 98, Range 
41, now Goewey Township. He put up a residence with a 
shingled roof, but the walls of which were built of sod. He 
broke about thirty acres that season, put in beans, potatoes, 
turnips and melons, and of these had quite a crop. His family 
came in October, 187 1. Mr. Lyman's house then became the 
stopping place for that part of the country, and it was often 
crowded with people, sometimes the whole floor covered 
with lodgers, and, if not cold, some outside. 

On this same section, in 187 1, Douglas E. Ball and B. F. 
Mundorf took claims, and Adam Batie took his claim on the 
same section in the spring of 1872. Mr. Lyman still lives in 
Goewey Township. His reputation is that of an honest and 
hard working man, but Lyman is considered quite a talker. 
He is a man of ideas and likes to express them. Several 
were at Lyman's one day and a fellow by the name of Patch 
bet $1 with Lyman that he couldn't keep from speaking for 
one hour. The money was deposited with the stakeholder, 
and the hour of silence commenced. In the course of half an 
hour some fellow came to the house to make some inquiries. 



48 HISTOKY OF OSCEOLA COUNTl', IOWA. 

and the rest of them kept in the house to see Lyman wrestle 
with the stranger. His motions were the most awkward, for 
he couldn't answer the questions as his dollar was at stake, 
and finally the stranger left with the idea that Lyman had 
gone crazy. 

The fore part of the summer of 1871 was a very dry one. 
There was not a drop of rain from the middle of March until 
the 1 6th day of June, and during that time of dryness several 
got out of the County, as they have got out of Dakota, for 
the reason, as they said, the County was too dry ever to raise 
crops. 

In April, 1872, Walter Fisher and Reed Patch started 
west from Spencer to Lyman's place. They knew the quarter 
that Lyman was on, so took the bearings and navigated as the 
sailors do, by compass. They made it all right and reached 
the Lyman place safely. These three then went to Sibley 
with a sleigh. The ground was soft, however, and the creeks 
had some water in. While crossing the Otter the horses sud- 
denly went down in the soft, watery snow, and went so sud- 
denly it pitched Lyman out, who went in up to his neck. 
Lyman was got out and over the river, and Fisher, by care- 
ful work, got himself across, and the horses were unhitched 
and they safely landed. Patch determined to stick to the 
sleigh and not get wet, the other fellows he thought could 
look out for themselves. After the horses were got over, the 
boys hitched a rope to the end of the tongue of the sleigh to 
pull that out, and Patch was sort of crowing over his safe 
and dry-shod transportation. The horses started and the first 
jerk of the sleigh landed Patch into the creek and up to his 
neck. The boys got him out, but he was not only a -sorry 
looking object, but had the appearance of a man disgustingly 
disappointed. Lyman thought honors were easy, and they 
soon got where their condition was made dry and comfortable. 

In June, 187 1, J. B. Lent, who was Treasurer of Osceola 
County, preceding Mr. Townsend, arrived at the Lyman 
place. Mr. Lent also came from Grant County, Wisconsin, 
and had started with some others for Nebraska. The others 
who started with him with teams kept on to Cherokee, while 
Lent diverted his course to go to Lyman's for the purpose of 
leaving some stock there for Lyman, they having lived in the 
same neighborhood in their Wisconsin home. The reason 
that the i6th of June arrival is so well remembered is that on 
that day the dry spell was broken, and Lyman and Lent gazed 
upon the falling water with supreme satisfaction and delight. 




REV. S. C. OLDS. 



50 HISTOKV OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Lent, after leaving the stock at Lyman's, went to Cherokee 
and told the rest of his party he was so dehghted with Osceola 
County that he would settle there and go no further; they 
went on, except Louis Folsom and Lent, and these returned 
to Lyman's place. The first night they slept out under the 
wagon cover set on the ground, and during the night the wind 
blowed that over, when they went into the house. Lent and 
Folsom soon did their settlement and filing, Lent on south- 
west quarter of Section 24, Township 98, Range 41, and Fol- 
som on south half of southeast quarter of Section 24, Town- 
ship 98, Tiange 41. 

The great thing to be feared then on an open prairie was 
a blizzard. The early settlers encountered several of them. 
In December, 187 1, Dr. Hall, then living in Goewey Town- 
ship, and his son, Arthur, a boy, started to the creek for some 
willows for fuel. While they were gone a terrible blizzard 
came up and they were caught out in it. They made their 
way towards home the best they could, but the blinding snow 
and extreme cold made it slow progress, and the oxen, too, 
were hard to get along. Soon the boy discovered that the 
father was missing and could not be found anywhere. Of 
course no search could be made, for the boy was struggling 
to take care of himself, but all at once Mr. Hall himself had 
disappeared, either strayed away from the boy or fallen in 
sheer exhaustion unable to go further. The boy went west 
for a while, then turned and went east again, and after travel- 
ing a few miles the oxen gave out; the boy then hollered as 
loud as he could, and as luck would have it he was near 
enough to the house of F. O. Messenger so that Messenger 
heard him and went in the direction from where the sound 
came until he reached the boy. The boy's hands and feet 
were frozen, but Messenger got him to the house and after a 
while the boy got around all right again. The oxen were 
also rescued. Dr. Hall himself perished in that December 
blizzard, and was not found imtil the spring of 1872, and was 
then found by Mr. Messenger's dog bringing to the house the 
bone from a human body, which was noticed, and Mrs. Mes- 
senger then directed the dog back and followed him to Dr. 
Hall's remains, which were but his bones. The boy, Arthur 
Hall, grown to manhood, now lives in Washington State. Tiie 
blizzard in February, 1872, the same in which Nagg perished, 
was also a fearful one. The first day of that blizzard, Lyman 
with others went to Sibley to buy goods at Roger's store. 
The blizzard commenced while they were in town, and they 




GEORGE T. VOOREES. 



52 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 

hurried up their purchases in order to return, and were soon 
on their way back again. It was a foolish start, but still they 
got through and no lives were lost. There were Lyman, B. 
F. Mundorf, Lon Sanfrisco, Eve Adler and A. Carpenter. 
When they got to the house of A. Romey, Mundorf and Ly- 
man had about eight miles further to go, and Mundorf in- 
sisted on gomg and was bound to go. All the others objected 
to any such thing, and Mr. Romey declared that not one of 
them should leave his house. Mundorf, however, had made 
up his mind to go and go he would, and as there was no other 
alternative, Lyman, knowing that Mundorf would surely get 
lost, started with him. Nothing saved them but the team of 
horses Mr. Lyman was driving. They who are accustomed 
to the road know the great difference between horses in know- 
ing the direction to go, and Mr. Lyman's team was of that 
kind which could find their way home in the darkest night or 
in any storm in which they could travel. This was the reason 
Lyman went with Mundorf, and Lvman made no attempt to 
guide his team but let them take their own way, and they 
landed these storm-driven settlers safely home. 

At this time there was considerable of an attempt, and 
some of it successful, to hold claims in fictitious names and 
cover them up, so-called. It was done by filing applications 
in the land office at Sioux City, and the filer signing some 
name which would make it appear of record that the claim 
was taken. It took an incoming stranger a little time, using 
a western expression, " to catch on to the racket," but he 
soon did, and there was not much after all made in that kind 
of speculation. Soon after Lent and Folsom got here, and 
they, with Lyman and some others, were taking it easy 
sitting on the prairie grass at Lent's claim, a stranger, who 
gave his name as Freman, drove up and informed these 
gentlemen that they were trespassers on other people's 
claims; that he had done the filing for them, and they were 
now on the road to settle. Lent cross-questioned the fellow' 
a little, Lyman gathered himself together for a controversy, 
and when the stranger had told all he knew about it and the 
boys had sized the thing up so that a conclusion was reached, 
Mr. Freman was told in a most emphatic manner, and in 
language that was not doubtful of construction, that if he was 
seen in that part of the country in just sixty minutes after that 
interview, they would hang hnn; and Lyman went to hunting 
a rope and to get the well ready to drop him in, when he 
started, to use Lyman's expression, as though the devil was 
after him, and was never seen afterwards. 




LANSING isL BROWN BUILDING, OCCUPIED BY T. H. DRAVIS. 



54 insTonr of osceola countt, iowa. 

Mr. A. Romey, who is now a merchant in Sibley, came 
to Osceola County in April, 187 1. He drove through from 
Fayette County, Iowa, and William Barkhuff started and 
drove through with him; also, Mr. A. Carpenter. On the 
road, Mr. J. F. Jones, Joshua Stevens and Waldo joined them; 
also W. H. Lean. Mr. Stephens and Mr. Waldo have since 
died. Mr. Jones and Mr. Carpenter are still residents of the 
county. Mr. Romey filed on the northwest quarter of Section 
4, Goewey Township. He put up a sod house, with shingled 
roof, and hauled his lumber from Sioux City. He broke 
about fifteen acres in 1871, but put m no crop. 




T. H. DRAVIS. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

In September, 1881, Henry C. Allen landed in Goewey 
Township. There came with him, August Thomson, C. 
Thomson and Francis Allen, these four forming the party. 
H. C. Allen settled on the northeast quarter of Section 8, in 
Township 98, Range 41, where he still resides, and the others 
filed upon and settled on claims near him, and are now non- 
residents. This party commenced housekeeping by putting 
up a house partly on three quarter-sections, making their 
home together until later on, when separate houses were to be 
built. In the latter part of 1871, H. C. Allen and Frances 
Allen drove their teams to Minnesota for work, and they re- 
mained there during the winter, Frances Allen stopping at 
Eagle Lake and H. C. going on further to Waterford. H. 
C. Allen took his family along with him, consisting of his wife 
and three children, and with them returned early in the spring 
of 1872. He drove to Minnesota with a wagon and started 
back with a wagon, but on his way was overtaken with a 
blizzard and a large fall of snow, so that he had runners put 
under his wagon bed. He was traveling alongside the railroad 
track, and a few miles beyond Heron Lake came to a deep 
ravine which w^as filled with snow and there seemed to be no 
way of getting across it, and, as Allen was anxious to get home 
before the time run out to get on his claim, he drove across 
the railroad bridge, it being a high and reasonably long one 
made in trestle work. It seemed a hazardous undertaking, 
but Mr. Allen got over all right, and in watching the horses 
ahead, had actually forgotten that he had one tied behind, but 
when fan'ly landed on the other side everything was all right 
and got over safely. Mr. Allen finally reached his claim, but 
before getting there went down into a slough which required 
the aid of his neighbor, Dagel, to pull him out. Someone had 
been in the house and left it open, so that everything was in 
confusion and covered with snow. 

To one who drove over these prairies twenty years ago, 
the scenery now in comparision is beautiful and magnificent. 
Where stood the sod house and the usual 8 by 10 shack; there 
are now commodious and tasty residences, and groves, whose 
trees, dressed in their green and luxuriant foliage, add to the 




JOHN F. STAMM. 



58 HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

beauties of nature, and mark the landscape with a fascinating 
and dignified splendor. Going back in remembrance to 187 1 
we could see a shack on Section 8, Goewey Township, which 
straddled the line of three quarter-sections, holding down 
claims for H. C. Allen, Frances Allen and one of the Thomson 
boys, not a tree in sight anywhere, and, in fact, not a house. 
We could see the boys figuring on how to get through the 
winter, and wondering what the country would amount to 
anyhow. But forgetting the past and looking at the living 
present, we saw that same quarter-section on 8, which Henry 
Allen settled upon in 187 1, now under thorough cultivation, 
with a large barn and nice residence almost hidden in a grove 
of large trees, and everything about the place showing that its 
occupant is in comfortable circumstances and in the enjoyment 
of life. 

W. 11. Lean came from Wisconsin and in 187 1 settled 
on the southwest quarter of Section 6, Baker Township. Mr. 
Lean came with some others, previously mentioned, and 
returned to Wisconsin in 1871, and came back to his claim in 
the spring of 1872. Mr. Lean still resides on the same land, 
which now has a beautiful grove and fine residence, with other 
improvements. He is also the Goewey Postmaster. Mr. 
Lean found Nagg's body, the party mentioned elsewhere as 
lost in the February blizzard, 1872. 

A beautiful residence greets the eye on the southeast 
quarter of Section 2, in Goewey Township. The elegant 
dwellinir house and larcje barn are surrounded with large 
stately forest trees, and everything betokens thrift and com- 
fort. The owner is O. B. Harding, who settled on the east 
half of southeast quarter of Section 2 in 1873, and has lived 
there since. Mr. Harding has since bought other land 
around him. 

In 1871, W. M. and J. H. Dagel, brothers, came from 
Clayton County, Iowa, driving through with teams, and 
between them took the nortli half of Section 6, in Goewey 
Township. By work and economy they now own over 2,000 
acres of land, and still live on their original claims. 

In June, 187 1, Mr. Thomas Jackson filed a pre-emption 
on the northeast quarter of Section 30, in West Holman Town- 
ship. Mr. Jackson came from Wisconsin and after filing 
returned there, and came to Osceola County again in the fall 
of same year and again returned. In the spring of 1872 he 
drove through with a team, bringing his family with him. On 
this same section at that time there were settled William 







J. W. ORD S RESIDENCE, SIBLEY. 



60 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Jackson, William Anderson, Joseph Anderson, Mr. Aldrich 
and Charles Kent. Mr. Thomas Jackson broke about thirty 
acres in 1872, put up his shack in the fall of 1871, hauling 
his lumber from Heron Lake, Minnesota. 'Mr, Jackson, after 
living there about twelve years, moved to Fa'rview Town- 
ship, where he still resides, and is a successful farmer and a 
substantial citizen. The perils and troubles of emigration, 
in traveling some distance from the old home to the new one, 
are often many. 

Early in the seventies there could be seen the emigrant 
wagons, reaching out for Northwest Iowa. They were called 
"prairie schooners." and a prairie schooner was, after all a 
peculiar institution. They navigated, sometimes single and 
alone, at other times in numbers like a fleet of vessels at sea. 
A Yankee boy, fresh from Massachusetts, when he saw one 
for the first time, said, " See that butcher cart, pa," for, sure 
enough, the meat carts in the cities of New England go about 
with a white covering. It was astonishing to see sometimes 
the amount of "truck" they carried and the number of 
inmates. We saw one in 1873, heaving into Osceola County, 
that had three trunks, two setts of harness, a sheet-iron stove, 
several bushels of potatoes, two dozen hens, and its inmates 
were man and wife and eight children ; they also had cooking 
utensils, bedding, and feed for the team. This mode of trav- 
elling, too, when the roads are good and the party united and 
contented, is very enjoyable, and certainly very healthy. 
These emigrant wagons are now seldom seen, and when they 
are they are bound for Dakota. 

In June, 1872, N. W. Emery drove through from Floyd 
County with a team and wagon, bringing his wife and one 
child (now Forrest Emery, grown to manhood.) Mr. Emery 
settled on the southwest quarter of Section 34, in Horton 
Township, where he still resides, in easy circumstances and 
with the respect of the people. The first summer he lived in 
his wagon; that is, this was his only habitation. In the fall he 
put up a house, 12x14. Owing to grasshoppers later on, 
Mr. Emery returned to Floyd County and remained during 
the winter, where he could find something to do. The follow- 
ing spring he returned, driving two yoke of oxen, and he 
certainly had a time of it, for the roads were bad, and until he 
reached Spencer it was nothing but mud and water. Five 
other teams were with him, of parties going to Dakota, and 
they stuck together, for they were useful to each other when 
one or the other got fastened in the mud when it took strength 








F. M. ROBINSON. 



62 HISroKl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTl', IOWA. 

to pull the wagon out. Emery's oxen pulled each of the 
others out several times, and once Emery's wagon was so 
deep in the mud and water that it took the five teams com- 
bined with Emery's two yoke of oxen to pull him out. So 
bad were the roads, that one day they traveled only nine 
miles, and Emery was delighted when he got back to his 
claim. The first season Emery did some breaking away from 
home for several weeks, which left his wife and the infant 
(Forrest) to keep house alone. 

In all the hardships incident to pioneer life it is not only 
the men who endure them, but the women also, whose burden 
is as great, if not greater, to bear. Their work may not be 
as hard, but it is constant, and, with the care of the family 
and motherly anxiety, the world does not know, and never 
will, the mental anguish of a great many of the wives of 
pioneers who were making a home on these fertile, but then 
uncultivated, prairies. 

John P. Hawxshurst came in Marcii, 1872, from Wis- 
consin. He settled upon the southwest quarter of Section 22, 
Township 100, Range 42, and is still a resident of the county. 
Mr. Hawxshurst helped start the Sibley Gazette — laid the 
type from the "original packages" into the case, and was 
with the paper until 1885. At one time he was sole pro- 
prietor, and during the grasshopper raid had a hard time of it 
indeed. At one time, for about a month, he did not take in 
any money, nor pay any out, nor did he have any in his 
pockets. His cash account was not hard to keep, and no 
doubt there was many a country printer then wondering half 
the time where his next meal was coming from. 

In September, 187 1, Mr. John L. Robinson landed in 
Osceola County from Alamakee County. His son, F. M. 
Robinson, afterwards County Auditor, had preceded him, and 
Frank met his father and mother and one sister at Algona, 
and al! drove over from there. They took their claims on a 
different part of Section 28, on what is now West Ilohnan, 
put up buildings and commenced living. Mr. J. L. Robinson 
is still living in the county, at Sibley, and F. M. Robinson is 
at Atlanta, Georgia. As will be seen by referwing to the 
Sibley records, F. M. Robinson put up the first building on 
the Sible^' townsite. Afterwards his father moved into the 
building, and lived there during the winter of 1871 and 1872. 
While he was living there, in the fall of 1871, the portly form 
of Elder Webb darkened the doorway, and went into the 
room while Robinson was putting slough hay and broken 



11 IS r our OF osceula county, iowa. 63 

weeds into the stove. This was the first time the Elder had 
seen that kind of fuel, and he was surprised that it could be 
utilized as a warmth producer. Mr. Robinson was the first 
Justice of the Peace in the county, and the office came to him 
by appointment. There being some irregularity in the 
appointment, Mr. Robinson afterwards stepped down and 
out, but while he was in, some cases came to his court. The 
first one brought, and, indeed, the first suit in the county, was 
between Everett and Freeman, over a yoke of oxen; and, like 
sensible fellows, they afterwards settled it. This was before 
there were any lawyers here to back up the respective sides 
of a controversy. Mr. Robinson's daughter, Ellen, who came 
with him, was afterwards married to Charles M. Brooks, now 
a lawyer at Sibley. The lumber with which F. M. Robinson 
put up his first building was hauled from Windom, Minn., 
and afterwards they did hauling from Cherokee. 



CHAPTER IX. 

There is much of individual heroism in common life that is 
lost to history, and which is not blazoned among the dis- 
tinguished deeds which make some men famous and their 
names immortal. Some military chieftain in the nick of time, 
and by natural genius and adroitness as well as personal cour- 
age, drives the enemy into a general slaughter, and his govern- 
ment, with fulsome praise, sends his name down the ages, and 
all time has a hero fearless and undaunted. Sometimes the 
greatest of all heroic acts are manifested by one in the humblest 
walks of life, which find no recognition in the record of history, 
for it is only in the exalted stations of life that the names of 
men glitter on the scroll of fame, and much that is the most 
heroic of all heroism dies with the hero. We have an old 
newspaper which recites the conviction and execution of a 
negro slave, in which case Henry Clay was the public prose- 
cutor. The negro was a faithful servant, and had not been 
accustomed to the degredation of corporal chastisement. Dur- 
ing a temporary absence of his master, he was placed under 
the charge of a young and passionate overseer, who, for some 
slight or imaginary offense, lashed him cruelly with a horse- 
whip, and brought wicked blows about the head that were 
unmercifully given. The spirit of the slave was aroused, and, 
seizing a weapon that was near him, he laid his overseer dead 
upon the spot. Soon after, he was borne to the place of 
execution, and the pride of character he there displayed was 
worthy of a Roman patriot. Being asked whether he was 
anxious that his life be spared, and, answering under a feeling 
of the injustice that had been done him and under the fact that 
he was in bondage, he replied proudly and sternly: "No! I 
would not live a day longer unless in the enjoyment of liberty." 
The pages of history might be searched from the beginning to 
tlie present, and nothing in the notoriety of preserved events 
would exceed this personal proudness and bravery of an 
obscure slave, whose words are lost in the din of pyrotecnic 
words over names which were prominent with the people. 

Carrying the thought still further, one does not need to 
go to a battlefield, or to find tragedies in blood, for the 
world's greatest heroes. Many unknown in life, bearing its 




E. M. TAYLOR. 



60 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

burdens under difficulties and under depressing circumstances, 
and under the crushing conditions of poverty and misfortune, 
are heroes, and the women who toil with them are heroines. 
The writer in the early seventies knew several families in 
Northwest Iowa who were without money, without friends — 
for the world is cold and uncharitable to the borrower — -whose 
crops were an utter failure, and where existence was continued 
by living on anything that was accessible, and whose diet 
principally was corn ground in a coffee mill. We who are 
living in the present progress and prosperity of Osceola 
County cannot realize the crushed and despondent heart of 
many a mother whose little ones, in the early days of the 
county's history, were crying for bread, and where but inch 
boards protected them from the severity of winter, huddled 
around a fire made by twisted hay, and whose one hope was 
in a change, which the future, dark and doubtful, would bring 
to them. These early settlers who were thus battling against 
the misfortunes of the county then were heroes. 

The early days of Osceola county, from 1871 on, were hard 
and trying to settlers who were endeavoring to make a home 
here and establish a farm on the prairie. Most of them came 
without means, and depended on their grit and muscle to pull 
through. Those that brought money with them, and were 
reasonably well fixed to start on, seemed to be the most 
unfortunate after all, especially when the grasshoppers came, 
for the reason that they did not hesitate to use their means 
in building good houses and surrounding themselves with 
comforts and conveniences, expecting an early return for their 
investments. But when the pocket-book became empty, and 
no crops as expected and no value to land, they were not 
only discouraged but disgusted, and soon got out, while the 
fellows who started with nothing were more inclined to stay 
it through, still hoping to realize and get return for their 
labor. 

We can easily see how much grit and determination it 
took to stay here several years, one after the other, without a 
crop at harvest time, and still stay another winter and burn 
hay and take chances on enough to eat. Money could not be 
obtained only on gilt-edged security at a rate of interest from 
three to eight per cent, a month, and sometimes at ten. Many 
a farm and much live stock and farm machinery of these early 
settlers passed into the hands of these money lenders; we 
cannot say unjustly so, but as a matter of business, because 
the money was due, the debtor unable to pay, and that 










®:r„z]'j 



fi m 



\r?if 




B., C. R. & N. DEPOT, SIBLEY 



68 IIISTOKI' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

insatiate and inexorable Shylock, the chattel mortgage, must 
have what its description calls for, and without delay. Some 
were crushed under the burden of debt, and ran away from it, 
glad to escape the annoyance of creditors, and into an atmos- 
phere of peace. 

Others still kept working on, toiling in the hope of better 
days, and under a feeling that no matter how black and 
hideous were the clouds of adversity, there was still a silver 
lining, and that in time the sunshine of prosperity would 
change the condition of things and gladden their hearts. 

The days of Osceola County hardships are over. It has 
passed the period of settlement, of hard times, debt and ad- 
versity, and is today one of the most thrifty Counties in the 
State. In 1870 its beautiful but unbroken prairie land was 
waiting in mute silence for coming events; today its well 
cultivated farms, extensive and magnificent forest trees, with 
beautiful and comfortable residences show the wonderful 
progress and prosperity that can come to a country by the 
industry and thrift of a people, who under a government like 
ours know the value of a home. The county is still advancing, 
its population increases each year, its unbroken prairie is 
diminishing rapidly, and before another decade not a foot of 
wild land capable of cultivation can be found in the county. 
Its people are full of energy, have the best of social qualities, 
are intelligent and loyal. School districts and municipal town- 
ship governments and the County administration, are all in the 
hands of men who are honest, capable and economical, and 
the future of the county is brilliant in everything that can lead 
a people up to the highest conditions of contentment, happiness 
and success. The older settlers, who have borne the "burden 
and heat of the day" and are here yet, have a feeling of pride 
in what the years accomplished, and the later incoming settlers 
realize that there is no fairer or more fertile agricultural 
country that the sun shines upon or was ever watered with 
the dews of heaven. However much of adversity or hardship 
our early settlers had to contend with the clouds have now 
rolled by, and other people in the experience of a like mis- 
fortune cannot only have our sympathy, but would find us 
charitable enough and sufficiently able to pour into their lap 
the surplus treasures of our own producli\ e soil. 




\V. II. GATES. 



CHAPTER X. 

In Ma}', 1871, W. H. Gates arrived in Osceola County 
from Buchanan County. He started with O. Dnnton and 
T. J, Cutshall, Dunton and Gates having teams and outfit of 
their own, while Cutshall was sort of a passenger with them. 
Gates filed on the southeast quarter of Section 26, Township 
100, Range 42, and Dunton and Cutshall on the south half of 
Section 32, Township 100, Range 41. They built, to start 
on, a sod house on Dunton's claim, and made that their head- 
quarters. Mr, Gates returned soon after for his family, and 
brought them out in the fall of 187 1, and lived in the Dunton 
sod house during the winter of 187 1 and 1872, and in the 
spring of 1872 he built a small house on his own claim, which 
is still there, and Mr. Gates still owns the land. At present 
he is County Recorder. In the fall of 187 1, after Mr. Gates 
had become settled with his family, he met Mr. Glover for the 
first time. Glover ventured over to the Gates household, 
bringing a tin pail, bearing all the marks of a siege in batch- 
ing. He modestly and timidly inquired if he could get some 
milk, which was generously supplied him, and John was 
treated so hospitably he ventured another request, doubtfully 
asking Mrs. Gates if he could get a piece of pork rind to grease 
his griddle for pancakes, and the request was accompanied 
with a skillful gesture of the hand, following the movement 
usually made in greasing a skillet for that purpose. Glover 
was surprised with a nice piece of pork from a barrel which 
Gates had brought with him, and the ex-Representative went 
home in a feeling of supreme delight. Mr. Gates was very 
much afflicted that winter with acute rheumatism, and no 
physician within forty miles. After laying helpless for about 
a month he got about again. 

Cutshall alternated for several j-^ears between his claim 
and cobbling shoes at Sibley. He now lives at Omaha, Neb. 
Dunton a few years ago went to Dundee, Ills., where he 
now lives. 

During the season of 1871 deer and elk were plenty in 
Osceola County, and they who were hunters and good marks- 
men had plenty of it. The next season, of 1872, the incoming 
railroad and influx of settlers drove them westward, in the 




W. B. STEVENS. 



72 JIISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

same direction civilization pushes the Indians — towards the 
setting sun. 

This Township, in which Mr. Gates settled, as will be 
seen elsewhere, was first named Fenton and afterwards 
Viola. But few of the 187 1 and 1872 settlers are left in the 
Township. In 187 1 John Stamm and Robert Stamm came to 
the County, driving through with teams from Jefferson 
County, Iowa. John settled on the southwest quarter of 
Section 34, Viola, and Robert on the northeast quarter of 
Section 4, Holman. We will now continue as to Viola Town- 
ship. John Stamm is still a resident of the County, and was 
elected Sheriff in 1891. Frank Vanamburg settled in 187 1 
on the southeast quarter of Section 34. The same year 
Theodore Stage took a part of Section 30. Mr. Stage now 
lives at Little Rock. Also in 1871, John Smith and his 
mother took the northwest quarter of Section 20, he taking 
one and his mother the other eighty. On this same section 
C. C. Collerson also settled in 1871. H. W, Tinkhum settled 
the same year on a part of the northeast quarter of Section 
26. Mr. Tinkhum is now at Barraboo, Wis. The remaining 
part of the northeast quarter of Section 26 was taken by 
Eleazer Headley in the spring of 1872. He is now in 
Indiana. On this same Section 26, J. S. Patterson in 187 1 
took the northwest quarter. He came from Cerre Gordo 
County, Iowa, and still hves on the same piece of land. On 
the southwest quarter of Section 26, J. W. Blair settled in 
1 87 1. He still owns the same piece and resides in Kansas. 
J. W. Nimms filed on the northeast quarter of Section 34 in 
1 87 1. On the northwest quarter of same section, J. T. 
Barclay settled in 1872, and put up the usual shanty. He 
sold the land afterwards to W. E. Ripley, and Mr. Barclay 
resides in Sibley. Also in the spring of 1872, H. Jordon set- 
tled on the southeast quarter of Section 28. Mr. Jordon was 

afterwards a lawyer in Sibley, and died in . The 

remainder of Section 28 was taken by George Carew, the 
northeast quarter; D. B. Wood, the northwest quarter; and 
Mr. Willie, the southwest quarter. Mr. Carew still lives in 
Sibley, and his claim is now owned by Jacob Brooks. Mr. 
Wood now lives in Springfield, Missouri. 

The northwest quarter of Section 32 was taken by James 
Dalton in 187 1. He now Hves in Buchanan County, Iowa, 
and Mr. Sliapley owns the claim. George S. Downend, in 
the spring of 1872, filed on the northeast quarter of Section 
32, and still lives on the land, with good improvements. Mr. 




JOHN F. GLOVER. 



74 HIS TORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Downend was from New York, was in the war, and went 
home on crutches. 

Patrick Piesley came to the county in 1871, and took the 
southeast quarter of Section 32. He returned to his former 
home in Wisconsin, and was married there July 3, 1873, '^"d 
still lives in Osceola County on the same piece of land. The 
southwest quarter of this same section was taken by Abraham 
Shapley in the spring of 1870. Mr. Shapley drove through 
by team from Clayton County, and along with him was N. D, 
Bowles and John Gray. He put up a comfortable house, 
hauling his lumber from Worthington. Mr. Shapley had a 
blacksmith shop, and, like the rest, had a hard time at the 
start. After he had got through June of that year, he had 
just three nickels left; but he had other capital, consisting of 
grit, of muscle and ambition. Mr. Shapley still lives on the 
same place, has fine improvements, owns a section of land in 
the county, and this year will establish his residence in Sibley, 
and take life easy. 

Asa Vanblorcon settled on the east half of the west half of 
Section 30, in 1872, and is still living in the same place. On 
this same section, Mr. KnowUon took the southeast quarter in 
1 87 1. Mr. Shapley now owns the land. The northeast 
quarter of Section 30 was taken in 1872 by Henry Graham, 
who has since died. On a part of Section 20 Mr. Samuel 
Smith filed and settled in 1872. He put up first a sod house, 
and now has a fine residence and is still living on the place. 

John Pann also filed on a part of Section 20 in 1872, and 
sold the land this year (1892). On the east half of the north- 
east quarter of Section 20, Edwin Smith filed in 1872. Mr. 
Smith still holds the land, and is engaged in the hardware 
business at Little Rock. 

In 1872, A. B. Graves filed on the southeast quarter of 
Section 18, and has since died. A part of the northeast 
quarter of Section 18 was taken in 1872 by A. Averhill, who 
now lives in LeMars, but who still owns the land. Sidney 
Beck with and Mr. Barnard took the northwest quarter of 
Section 18 in 1872, which quarter is now owned by Mr. 
Beckwith, and upon which he still resides. He has other 
land around, since purchased. The south half of the south- 
west quarter of Section 18 was taken by Mr. Beeman in 1871. 
Mr. Beeman perished in the February, 1872, l)lizzard. He 
was haulinfj log-s and was lost in the storm. 

David Averhill and Obid Averhill took the south half of 
Section 8 in 1872. David died about two years ago and Obid 
moved from the county. 




ACADEMY OF MUSIC BLOCK, SIBLEY 



76 JIISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNT!'. IOWA. 

On the west half of the southwest quarter of Section lo, 
William Rubow filed in 1872. He still owns the land, but 
lives in Missouri. On this section also, Eugene and Charles 
Bennett settled in 1872. Charles returned to Illinois a few 
years after, and Eugene still lives in the county on the same 
land and is a prosperous farmer. On Section 22 M. D. 
Hadsell took the northeast quarter, John Hart the southeast 
quarter, J. P. Hawxshurst the southwest quarter, and C. C. 
Hadsell and John Joseph the northwest quarter. These all 
filed in 1872. The HadselPs are in Nebraska, Josephs in 
Kansas and J. P. Hawxshurst resides in Sibley. Peter Shaw 
and Charles Shaw came in 1872, and filed between them on 
the northeast quarter of Section 14. Prof. J. F. Kanson filed 
in 1872. He left the county some years ago, and lives in 
Florence, Kansas. Also, in 1871, C. C. Ogan filed on the 
southeast quarter of Section 14. He died since in California. 
On the southwest quarter of Section 14, John H. Douglass 
filed. This gentleman is elsewhere mentioned. 

The Scribner family among themselves took Section 12 
in 1872, and have since moved away. 

On Section 24 N. J. Wetmore filed on a part of the 
southeast quarter, Merritt Winchester on the southwest quar- 
ter, G. W. Ketchem on the northwest quarter, all in 1872. 
Mr. Wetmore is in DeKalb County, Illinois, Mr. Winchester 
in Des Moines, and Mr. Ketchem went to Sioux City; he is 
now preaching on the Pacific Coast. Levi Shell settled on 
the southeast quarter of Section 36 in 1872. Mr. Shell has 
been here ever since, and is now in the lumber trade a Sibley. 
Joseph Ferrin, C. F. Torrey and Rev. Jones also filed in 1872 
on other parts of the same section. These parties who filed 
on Section 36, except Mr. Shell, have been away from the 
County several years. These settlers in Viola who are still 
here have weathered the disagreeable hardships of the first 
years of pioneer life, and are now comfortable and well off. 
Mr. John Stamm's first wife died in the county in 1885. Viola 
is a thrifty township, and one of the most prosperous in the 
County. Among its leading farmers, in addition to those 
already mentioned, are the following named gentlemen: A. 
Ackerman, B. Ackerman, W. M. Achenbach, C. Barnum, R. 
Black, S. M. Bullington, T. Boyenga, C. Bauman, W. Beck- 
man, H. Branidt, W. Christian, J. W. Councill, Henry Doug- 
lass, S. R. Dunwoody, W. Downs, D. Dexter, E. Fisher, Geo. 
Gates, H. Hincuch, H. Hatterman, L. Hoffman, J. HoUenbach, 
E. D. HoUenbach, H. Hall, II. M. Heindres, H. Houke, John 




E. A. BUNKER. 



78 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT r, IOWA. 

Iverson, G. C. Iverson, B. Koolman, I. Kimball, W. Kuhn, P 
Keer, F, E. Kennedy, A. Kiser, C. Kreager, A. Lusk, H 
Luterman, J. M. Likes, H. Likes, J. Mont, D. H. Morse, S 
Newman, T. P. Norman, N. Olson, J. Peters, B. Robert, J 
Rain, F. Riibow, P. Rehms, J. Rohger, S. B. Smith, H. Soins 
C. Shroder, W. F. Smith, H. Temmenna, T. W. Tarbell 
John Tann, S. S. Thatcher, H. Vietmeyer, C. Vink, W. J 
Wohleater, A. A. Wyant, T. Wyant, R. Wyant, T. P. Wald- 
ran, Fred Witt, J. Hf Harbets, J. Harbets, W. Harbets. 



CHAPTER XL 

In the fall of 187 1 S. J. Cram came from Alamak.ee 
County and settled on a part of Section 32, in what is now 
Wilson Township, and still resides here. W. W. Cram, a 
brother of S. J., also came in 187 1 and filed on a part of 
Section 14, in West Holman Township. He left here in 1882, 
and now lives at Butte, Nebraska. A. H. Clark also filed the 
same year on Section 32, in Wilson Township. In Holman 
Township at this early day, S. A. Wright settled on a claim, 
also the Halsteads, father and son, F. R. Cole, O. C. vStaplin 
and the Widow Rosenburv, and Randolph Kinney on Section 
28, in Wilson Township. S. A. Wright was Treasurer of the 
County one term, and now lives at i3eatrice, Nebraska. O. 
C. Staplin still lives in the County on the original claim, and 
is one of our pushing farmers. S. H. Westcott came from 
LeMars to Osceola County and filed on a claim in the fall of 
1 87 1 on the southeast quarter of Section 22, Township 99, 
Range 41. Mr. Wescott has held township and County 
offices, and now lives in Sibley. In April, 1871, there came 
from Alamakee County to Osceola Mr. E. Morrison, R. O. 
Manson, F. M. Robinson, W. W. Cram, Myron Churchill and 
Thomas Parian; these came to file on land, and with them to 
see the country was Mr. McFarland. Mr. Morrison settled 
on a part of Section 10, in Township 99, Range 42; Mr. 
Manson on northwest quarter of Section 24, West Holman ; 

F. M. Robinson on •, West Holman; Myron Churchill 

on a part of Section ; and Parian on , while Mr. 

Cram has heretofore been described in his location. Mr. 
Morrison now resides in Sibley, having been here since his 
first settlement, except to return for his family in the fall of 
1871. Mr. Manson still resides on the claim originally taken. 

After these incoming settlers had got here from Alamakee 
County, they looked around and decided upon the claims they 
wanted. A part of them then started for Sioux City to file, 
while Mr. Morrison drove to LeMars to get some groceries, 
for there were no provisions left, and it was a long ways to 
market. When Morrison got to the Huff shack he found that 
Mrs. Huff was out of bread and no flour to make any; he then 
had to drive to Orange City, or where Orange City now is, 



80 IIISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

before he could get anything for himself or team. In the 
meantime he had left Robinson, Manson and McFarland at 
Frank Stiles' habitation. This consisted of an old stage coach, 
approximating the Deacon's one-hoss shay when it fell to 
pieces. Stiles had hauled it to his claim and placed it there as 
a settlement which the law required. At this stage coach 
Morrison left the three parties above named, they to wait until 
Morrison returned with something to eat, but hunger got the 
better of them, so they started on southeast to find somebod}^ 
or something to eat, and came across a shack near the 
Ocheyedan where Mr. Miller lived, but here there was nothing 
to eat so they returned again to Frank Stile's cottage on 
wheels. After about forty-eight hours' absence Morrison 
returned, and by this time Robinson, Manson and McFarland 
were in about the same condition that Greeley was when dis- 
covered in the Artie regions. They were handed out some 
bread, and the loaves disappeared about as fast as water in a 
gopher hole, they couldn't wait for butter or anything else, 
but soon the boys felt better with a satisfied appetite. 

W. A. Morrison, a brother of E. Morrison, came in July, 
1872, and made settlement here, but left the county a few 
years ago and now resides in Kettle Falls, Washington. 

In June, 187 1, Rev, Smith Aldrich arrived in the county 
and settled on Section 30, west Holman. When it became 
known that Aldrich was a preacher, it was thought best to 
have services the following Sunday, so E, Morris and some 
others went around to what few there were and gave out the 
notice. The preaching was in Morrison and Churchill's 
shack. There were about twenty-five present, and this 
sermon, no doubt, was the first preached in the county, 
though W. W. Webb claims that some other was the first. 
In the fall of 187 1 Mrs. Aldrich, wife of the reverend gentle- 
man, died on their claim. This was the first death in tiie 
county, and at that time the undertaker's shop was far away, 
so that Mr. A. M. Culver made the coffin and Mrs. John 
Douglass stained it with grape juice. The simple services at 
the funeral were impressive, for Mrs. Aldrich was a woman 
much respected. Her body* was removed east some time 
after its burial here, and Mr. Aldrich himself went away after 
remaining here a few years. 

Mr. Wallace Rea came here in the spring of 1872 and 
settled on the southeast quarter of Section 14, Township 99, 
Range 41. He is now at a Soldiers' Home. At the first 
school election held in the Rea district there were only three 




W. H. NOEHREN. 



82 irisTonr of osceola county, iowa. 

present — Rea, O. C. Staplin and J. S. Reynolds. Staplin 
was Chairman, Rea the Secretary and Reynolds the people. 
A ballot was taken, and the vote stood: Rea, i; Staplin, i; 
Reynolds, i. On the second ballot Staplin was elected. 
Reynolds declares that on the first ballot he voted for Staplin, 
and Staplin for Reynolds. At that time there was much 
eagerness for the establishment of a school, and it was all 
right in that feeling of personal anxiety for a fellow to vote 
for himself as school officer. 

Of the early settlers in Township lOO, Range 41 (now 
Wilson Township), but few remam. Will Thomas still owns 
the original claim, and in this township he still retains his 
residence. On Section 26, in this township, are two earl}- 
settlers. Mr. John Klampe took the northeast quar^^er about 
twenty years ago, and still occupies it. On the southeast 
quarter, Benj. Davis settled in 1872, and has borne the burden 
and heat of the day from that time to the present, farming the 
same piece of land. Mr. R. S. Eakin also came to this town- 
ship about twenty years ago, and first settled on Section 8. 
He now owns 240 acres on Section 28. 

On the southwest quarter of Section 14, Mr. Jacob Wid- 
man has lived since about 1873. He has made very fine 
improvements, and on his place there is a spring of very nice 
water, which we believe is the only spring in the township. 

On Section 32, lives C. P. Reynolds, who settled there 
in 1872, and has lived there continuously since. He has good 
improvements, and has been a member of the County Board 
of Supervisors. 

The north tier of sections in Wilson, as in other town- 
ships on the north bordering the Minnesota line, are clipped 
off, or rather the surveyors run out of land when they reached 
the line; or, as some one with bar-room proclivities remarked, 
"they were lost in the shuffle." The absence of this north 
tier of sections has been the cause of trouble to some, as well 
as a loss of money, and has brought others to grief. Some 
years ago several sharpers, who were of that class of men 
constantly seeking opportunities to perpetrate a swindle, 
actually made conveyance of some of these quarter sections 
which had no existence to innocent and unsuspecting parties, 
who took the deeds all right and paid for the land, only to 
soon find out they had bought nothing, and couldn't buy what 
the deed described if they wanted to. Some of these villianous 
grantors were apprehended and made to languish in tiie pen- 
itentiary, and to suffer punishment for the crime which was 
involved in this method of conveyance. 



inSTORl OF OSCEOLA COiXTY, IOWA. 83 

Allen Cloud filed in 1872 on the northwest quarter of 
Section 34, and lived there until he died in January, 1884, and 
was buried in the Wilson Township Cemetery. His widow 
now lives in Sibley. 

The only old settlers still Hving in Wilson Township are 
Will Thomas and W. A. Cloud. 

Mr. C. E. Yates, on Section 10, went there about ten 
years ago; James Zweek, on Section 14, about five years ago, 
and Mr. H. A. Cramer, on the same section, two years ago. 
The Makee boys, on the northwest quarter of Section 15, 
have been there some time. 

Mr. Joseph K. Shaw, on Section 18, was reasonably 
early in settlement, as he filed on a claim and made final 
proof in 1876, and still resides there. On this same section 
resides Fred Theise and Mons Sorem. On Section 22, the 
northwest quarter, W. J. Miller filed, and still owns the land. 
The balance of this section belongs to the Thomas family, 
with Clifford Ling as renter. F. J. and J. D. Engle are 
living on the west half of Section 23, and on the northeast 
quarter John Ackerson resides. Other parties in the town- 
ship, and among Wilson's best farmers, not before mentioned 
are Terkark Benezek, on Section 24, and F. A. Klampke, on 
Section 25. Mr. Klampke has 320 acres, and has lived there 
about 1 4 years. The east half of Section 27 is owned by 
Clans Klepka, who has lived in the township about two 
years. Mr. Comstock lives on the southwest quarter of 
Section 29; also, on the same section is H. S. Lindsey. 

J. N. Robinson, on the northwest quarter of Section 30, 
owns the land, and has lived there about six years. On 
Section 31, Mr. W. C. Connor owns the northeast quarter, 
and on this same section lives Charles Hoffman. 

Mr. A. B. Evarts is the owner of a part of section 32 and 
has lived there seven years. W. A. Cloud is on section 33. 
This gentleman has been in the township seventeen years, and 
would pass for an old settler. On the northeast quarter of 
section 34 lives E. A. Beaston, while the southwest is owned 
by J. W. Kaye of Sibley, and upon which there fives at 
present, Mr. H. S. Lindsey. Mr. N. W. Williams who 
settled in O'Brien County in 1871, has recently purchased the 
northeast quarter of section 36 and will soon be a resident of 
Wilson. In 187 1 W. N. Bull settled on the northwest quarter 
of section 26. Mr. Bull still resides . in the county at Sibley. 



CHAPTER XII. 

There ought to be the strongest ties of feehng between 
the old settlers of a country who have remained with it and 
borne the burden and heat of the day, and there is. B}' 
reason of the weakness of human nature there may be some- 
times a hostile feeling over some petty and insignificant affair 
between neighbors, but, as a rule, the surviving settlers of a 
new country whose experiences run back a quarter of a 
century are attached to each oiher; it would be unnatural to 
be otherwise. Age may bring upon us its infirmities; it may 
palsy the limbs, and gather the crows' feet insidiously about 
the eyebrows, but as long as the faculties remain we shall 
ever retain a feeling of fond recollection of the scenes and 
incidents of other days, and of those who shared with us its 
experiences, its joys and sorrows. And then again, people 
who bear the same misfortune together become united in each 
others interest and are bound together. 

Ever}^ new County has to wrestle in the throes of doubt 
and difficulty. The incoming population are generally of 
moderate means, and come for the purpose of building a home 
and acquiring a competence. The first acts of settlement are 
liable to absorb the little that was broufjht with them, and for 
a time it is a struggle with hardship, and sometimes for the 
necessaries of life. 

Their manner of living was not in commodious dwelling 
houses, but in what was called a shanty or a shack. A set- 
tler's shack, or shanty, was an exclusive western institution. 
It was the first castle of the settler, was of generall}^ uniform 
size, 8xio, with a shed roof and tar paper covering. If any- 
one doubted the continuous residence, the shanty was referred 
to as the mute but standing witness, and the doubter became 
silent under this avalanche of proof. There was also provided 
a stove pipe, projecting through the roof, and this, added to 
the shanty, emphasized the good faith of the settler. Occa- 
sionally when the shack was left too long to itself, some mis- 
chievous or malicious fellow carried away some part or all of 
it, and the place that once knew it, knew it no more forever; 
but among settlers themselves it was regarded as the sacred 
habitation, the legal improvement, and everybody was warned 




CHARLTiS M. BROOKS. 



86 HISrORr of OSfEOLA C0UNT1\ IOWA. 

neither lo disturb nor molest it. Sometimes, instead of this 
kind of a habitation, the settler had a dugout or a sod shanty. 
A dugout consisted of an excavation in the ground, a hole 
large enough to live in, with a covering to it of some kind, 
sufficient to shed the rain and enclose it; or, if the opportunity 
was had, it was built into a knoll or the side of a hill. One 
room served all the purposes of the homesteader and his 
family. If he prospered for a season he would add to the 
front of his abode by erecting walls of sod on the sides and 
putting in a new front; the old would serve as a partition 
between the two rooms. You would often, upon entering 
such an abode, be surprised, for once you got through the 
narrow hole, called a door, to get into it, you would find 
elegant furniture, left over from the former residence, and an 
organ with an imposing cathedral back, towering high in one 
corner of the room. 

Sometimes a settler's claim would be jumped, as they 
called it, but jumping claims was a very disreputable and 
sometimes a serious business. It was expected in those cases 
where a party entirely neglected his duty as a settler and 
paid no attention to the requirements of the homestead or 
pre-emption law, that some one who could comply would 
take the land and earn it with a continuous residence. But 
where the settler was performing his duty to the best of his 
ability, and was faithful to his claim, with good intentions, then 
he who undertook to deprive him of it was a miscreant, and 
the neighborhood would sit down on him with a determined 
vengeance. Any person of character and respectabilit}^ would 
not jump a claim without the surest and safest of reasons, and 
where a claimant abandoned his claim without actual settle- 
ment, and with continued neglect, then it was the duty of any 
seekmg government land to take it, and let the other party 
lose his rights by his delay. They did not blame anyone for 
jumping a claim where the claimant showed bad faith, but 
where good faith was exhibited, then the act was repre- 
hensible. 

We will conclude this chapter with an experience of W. 
R. Boling: Mr. Boling came to Osceola in the fall of 1872, 
and left papers for filing on his claim in Horton Township, 
where he now resides. He returned and remained that winter 
in Powshiek County, and came back to Osceola in the spring 
of 1873. While traveling out, he was joined by Ol. Hem- 
men way and John Wood, who were pointed for Sheldon, 
and settled there. Boling's trip was uneventful until he 



IirSTORr OF OSCEOLA COrNTV, IOWA. 87 

reached the Little Ocheyedan, about ten miles south of now 
Ocheyedan Town, and was then on his way to Sibley. The 
river from heavy snows that winter had become quite a stream, 
but the ice was still underneath in some places. Boling had a 
span of mules, a covered wagon filled with the requirements 
of a settler, and the difficult task of crossing the Ocheyedan 
was before him. He took a long pole, walked in sounding 
the bottom to decide the question of safe crossing, and satislied 
himself that he could make it. He got aboard the wagon, 
started up the mules and ventured to cross. When he was 
about eight feet from the opposite side, the mules went into 
the water out of sight, also one of the front wheels, leaving 
the wagon partly tipped. Boling jumped into tiie stream to 
try and right things, but had a narrow escape from drowning 
and only by desperate effort reached the other side, and with- 
out time to worry over the fix he was in, went to work at once 
to save the outfit. One mule was completely under water, 
and the other had his head just out of it; finally Boling got one 
mule out and hitched on to the other one and pulled him out 
upon the bank more dead than alive. A mule's existence 
does not alwa3's require soft bedding and a pakice barn, and 
this one's experience demonstrates the fact that a mule can be 
pretty well drowned and still live. Boling waited until both 
of them got life enough to travel, then rode one and led the 
other about eight miles to a settler's cabin, where he staid all 
night, and, returning next morning with assistence, rescued 
the wagon and its contents and renewed his journey. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

The blizzard of January 7, 1873, was a fearful one, and 
considered as the worst this country ever experienced. These 
storms are generally disastrous for the reason that they come 
up suddenly. The morning may be fine and clear, causing 
people to start out on the prairie, and in a sparsely settled 
country where houses are several miles apart, a sudden Wind- 
ing snow storm makes it almost impossible to find a shelter, 
and is extremely dangerous to any who are out. On the 
morning of January 7, 1873, the sun rose bright and warm, 
giving promise of a beautiful day. There was then a stage 
line between Spencer and Rock Riipids, the stage driver being 
Peter Baker. He started out from Sibley in the forenoon 
with one passenger, Mr. .A. K.Jenkins, and when ten miles 
west from Sibley they encountered that terrible blizzard out 
on the unsettled prairie. It continued warm and pleasant until 
about noon, when the treacherous northwest wind commenced 
blowing and a dark cloud hovered in the western horizon. 
The snow commenced creeping and sifting over the ground in 
the peculiar insidious style so well known to every dweller on 
our broad and unprotected prairies. In a very short time the 
storm king was holding high carnival, and the air was filled 
with fiying snow, driven by the force of the wind into the 
minutest apertures and piling it into drifts wherever it en- 
countered an obstacle. 

The storm raged with scarcely an abatement until Thurs- 
day morning, when the thermometer indicated 22 degrees 
below zero. 

As above stated, Mr. Jenkins, in company with Mr. 
Baker, the stage driver on the Spencer and Rock Rapids 
Stage Line, left Sibley for the latter point named; when about 
ten miles distant from their destination the storm struck them 
in all its fur}', so completely hemming in their horses that they 
soon yielded to the influence of the cold and sunk down in a 
deep snow drift and soon died. Mr. Jenkins tried to keep his 
blood in circulation by walking, but to the contrary, he became 
so helpless from the effects of the cold that even with the help 
of his companion he was unable to regain his seat in the coach. 
After eighteen hours insane from suffering he laid down before 
Mr. Baker's eyes and died. 




E. K. HAZEN. 



90 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Baker was conscious that he was losing 
the use of his limbs, and could render his companion no further 
assistance. Mr. Baker was found frozen to the knees on 
Friday afternoon about 3 o'clock, about one-half mile from the 
stage road; he was taken to the nearest house and cared for 
until the next day. He was then taken to Sibley. Soon after, 
both his legs were amputated, and on the 25th day of May, 
1873, he died. 

George Hamilton was out in the same blizzard, and a 
man of less nerve and endurance would have certainly per- 
ished. Mr. Hamilton started in the morning to go to Milford, 
and while only about four miles from home crossing the prai- 
rie the storm struck him. To face the storm and try to re- 
turn would have been the height of folly. So that all Mr. 
Hamilton could do was to go with it. This he did, and kept 
on traveling until he came to a corn field, where the snov/ had 
formed in large drifts, and into one of these his horses got 
down. Mr. Hamilton worked with his horses until they were 
on their feet again, and then as night was coming on, he un- 
hitched and after having shovelled the snow away from the 
front end of his wagon tied his horses there. Here he spent 
the night, with that terrible storm howling in its fury, with no 
shelter and really without sufficient clothing, for the storm 
wasn't looked for. He kept at work shovelling the snow 
away from where the horses stood and twice lay down near 
the horses feet and got into a dose, and each time a horse 
stepped on him, just enough to wake him up and he went to 
work again. It is only a wonder that he didn't go to sleep 
never to wake again, and probably such would have been his 
fate, only for the horses feet. Finally morning dawned and 
Mr. Hamilton feeling that he was near somebody's place, hol- 
lered as loud as he could and there came a response. By this 
communication of voice the parties living near by came to 
where Hamilton was and himself and horses wt^re gotten over 

to the house, it being where Smith lived. The horses 

were placed under shelter and soon Hamilton was in the 
Smith shack which had the comforts of a stove, red with heat- 
ing. Mr. Hamilton found that his clothing was not proof 
against the driving snow, for it had drifted through in consid- 
erable quantities next to the skin. He staid at the Smitli hab- 
itation two days, then when the storm was over made his trip 
to Milford and on his return found parties searching for him, 
supposing, of course, that he could not be otherwise than lost. 
This narrow escape which George Hamilton had in this April 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 91 

blizzard shows how easily a man of caution and of excel- 
lent judgment can drift into danger, and where the chances of 
living are against him, but a blizzard on an open prairie, comes 
sometimes so unexpected and unlooked for that it is not a lack 
of caution nor an error in judgment to be caught out where 
life becomes suddenly in danger. Mr. Hamilton's claim, as 
will be noticed elsewhere, was then on Section 30, in Fair view 
Township. Mr. Hamilton believes that his deliverance was 
providential; that it was there on the prairie he made his first 
original prayer which God gave him then and there the as- 
surance that it would be verified. 

In this same storm a resident of Fairview Township lost 
his life. There was then a postofiice on the Spirit Lake and 
Worthington route, about a mile south of where the town of 
Round Lake now is. It was kept by William Mosier, and 
Mr. Wheeler, whose claim was on Section in Fairview, 

was at the postoffice in Mosier's house when the storm came 
up. Wheeler started for home and unable to find his house, 
he wandered with the storm and at last exhausted, benumbed 
with cold, lay down and died. He got nearly to West 
Okoboji Lake in Dickinson County. He was found soon as 
the storm cleared up by Mr. Tuttle, whose house was not far 
away from where Wheeler perished. 

Some others were out in the blizzard, but not far from 
home so that these got home safely. 

One other death occurred in the county, that of Peter 
Ladenberger. After the storm he was missing and no trace 
of him could be found it was concluded that he must have 
perished. He was still unaccounted for until the 29th day of 
November, 1873, when the account of his being found, given 
at the time, is as follows: When Fred Krueger, while out 
hunting in the valley of the Ocheyedan fifteen miles south- 
east of Sibley, found the remains of some person, they 
proved to be those of the unfortunate Ladenberger. Mr. 
Krueger did not inform any person of the finding of the re- 
mains until Sunday, when he related the facts to Mr. S. S. 
Parker. Early Monday morning Mr. Parker came to town 
and informed the proper authorities, who immediately sum- 
moned a jury, consisting of Messrs. McCausland, Parker and 
Warren; these gentlemen with the acting coroner, Mr. Tur- 
ner, Dr. Mellen and some witnesses to identify the remains, 
started for the spot to determine, if possible, whose the re- 
mains were. The party proceeded eastward to the Parker 
settlement, where Krueger joined them; then going southeast 



92 • HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 

they crossed the Little Ocheyedan, the rolHng prairie, and de- 
scended into the broad valley of the Ocheyedan. When near 
the junction of the Little Ocheyedan with the Ocheyedan, the 
party separated, and going to the southwest Mr. Parker soon 
discovered the remains. The dead man was lying — probably 
as he fell — breast down, with right arm thrown back. The 
skull lay a few feet from the trunk. At his right foot was a 
hole, and it is possible that the surface of the snow was on that 
account uneven and caused him to stumble. A pipe, a car- 
penter's pencil, a silver ring, several pocketbooks, cap and 
pieces of clothing were found. The remains of the body 
were placed in a coffin and taken to Sibley. The pocketbooks 
were thawed out, and furnished conclusive evidence that the 
dead man was Peter Ladenberger. On Tuesday the remains 
were buried. Mr. Ladenberger was a carpenter, and the last 
work he did was to put up the liberty pole on the court house. 
He came from Sheboygan County, Wis., and had no relatives 
in the county. 

The lirst settler in Fairview Township was Mr. Ellis, who 
took his claim there in 1871. This was the only claim taken 
in that township during that year. There were considerable 
many claims taken in this township in 1872, the year of a 
general rush to Northwest Iowa. In April, 1872, George 
Hamilton settled in Fairview and took east half of the north- 
west quarter of Section 30. Mr. Hamilton drove with his 
team, his wife with him, from Clinton County, Iowa, and after 
taking the claim lived on it continuously until final proof, him- 
self and wife not being away from it at the same time except 
one night. He has now other land adjoining, but of these 
early settlers in Fairview, who came there in 1872, Mr. Ham- 
ilton is the only one of them who still lives m that township. 
He put up on the start a very comfortable house, broke only 
about four acres the first year, but has since been engaged in 
extensive farming, and is a very worthy and substantial citizen 
of Osceola County. 

S- A. Dove came to Fairview in May, 1872, and settled 
on the southwest quarter of Section 8. C. A. Foote the same 
year took the northeast quarter of the same section. During 
a later residence in the count}^, and after one of the blizzards, 
it was impossible to get around with a team, and the neces- 
saries of life to subsist upon were obtained by going on foot 
with snow shoes. Dove and John Hanna went to Worthing- 
ton, eleven miles, with snow shoes, and drawing a hand sled. 
Thev hauled butter to town and returned with flour; there 



94 



inSTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 



was no road, but they made the journey in a day, though their 
return was after dark. Dove came from Clinton County, Iowa, 
and drove through with a team. He put up first a sod house, 
in which he hved two years, and then built a frame house, and 
in 1890 moved to Ocheyedan, where he now resides. 

Most of the settlers in Fairview have come at a recent 
date, and but few reach back any number of years. Among 
its leading farmers at the present time are S. Wright, Samuel 
Peterson, John Ward, Frank Palmer, Levi Coyour, Charles 
McLagen, S. C. Palmer, Fred Barneking, Fred Hindt, Ed. 
Ward, Thos. Jackson, W. E. Proper, D. A. Hall, John Hanna, 
Ed. Severence, Matthew Walling, WilHam and Samuel Hanna, 
E. S. Webster, George Miller, Jerry Bean, Milton Woodrow, 

George Shephard, Steinkuehler, W. D. Hendrix and 

William Mowthorpe. 

The following is the way Osceola County stood in the 
year 1873: 

CENSUS OF OSCEOLA COUNTY FOR THE YEAR 1873. 

HOLM AN TOWNSHIP. 

Number of dwelHngs . t8o 

« " families 189 

" " white males 320 

« " " females 281 

" " persons entitled to vote. 187 

" " militia - 153 

" " foreigners not naturalized 3 

" " acres of land improved 2,553 

" " pounds of wool shorn in the year 1S72 45 

BUSHELS OF GRAIN RAISED IN 1872, 

Wheat - 2,269 

Corn 4,800 

Oats 1,572 

GOEW^EY TOWNSHIP. 

Number of dwellings 143 

" " families 146 

" " white males -- 277 

^' «' " females 199 

" " persons entitled to vote 147 

" " militia i 

" " foreigners not naturalized . i 

" " acres of land improved - . - ^ 3^464 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 95 
BUSHELS OF GRAIN RAISED IN 1872. 

Wheat 2,174 

Corn .... 5,420 

Oats . 2,605 

Barley . 346 

FENTON TOWNSHIP. 

Number of dwellings 39 

" " families 40 

" " white males 76 

" " " females 65 

" " persons entitled to vote 43 

" " militia _. 39 

" " acres of land improved 866 

BUSHELS OF GRAIN RAISED IN 1 87 2. 

Wheat 694 

Corn 2,265 

Oats 680 

WILSON TOWNSHIP. 

Number of dwellings _ . 32 

" " families '„ 32 

" " white males 64 

" " " females . 63 

" " persons entitled to vote 34 

" " militia 22 

" " acres of land improved 420 

" " pounds of wool shorn in 1872 5 



BUSHELS OF GRAIN RAISED IN 1872. 



Wheat 



Z9 



Corn 1,337 

IIORTON TOWNSHIP. 

Number of dwellings 17 

" "families 426 

" " white males . . 40 

" " " females . 30 

" " persons entitled to vote 20 

" "militia 18 

" " acres of land improved 144 

" " bushels of corn raised in the year 1872 40 



96 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT T, IOWA. 



In 1873 Osceola County had the following: 

Number of dwellings . 419 

" " families 426 

" " white males 779 

" " " females 630 

" " persons entitled to vote 431 

" " mihtia . 324 

" " foreigners not naturalized 4 

" " acres of land improved 7^444 

" " pounds of wool shorn in the j^ear 1872 50 

BUSHELS OV GRAIN RAISED IN 1 87 2. 

Wheat 5,176 

Corn .• 13,862 

Oats . 4,857 

Barley 346 







- lTt -"-B.-'(4 ■■■ V' -?!''', -V' «'''_■ •■■■-■■'j .a"i"'~ 



CENTRAL BLOCK, SIBLEY. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

We will now leave the general run of settlement for a 
few chapters and speak of the County's finances in its method 
of doing business in the early days. Lawyers' fees seemed 
to be the most prominent method of " raising the wind." 
Winspear was a lawyer, Blackmer was a lawyer, and, indeed, 
it was the old saying repeated, that " Ceaser had a party, and 
Brutus a party, but Rome had none." Other lawyers, also 
outside the County, had a hand in it, but still there were 
several lawyers in the County at the time who were battling 
the gang in their thieving operations. 

The early part of Osceola County, indeed northwestern 
Iowa, for the Sioux City lawyers, was, as Deacon Howell 
remarked of Lyon County, "a field for legitimate speculation." 
Sioux City itself then was not prolific with litigation, clients 
were not numerous, and the Argus eyes of some of its distin- 
guished disciples of Blackstone magnified the gigantic wrongs 
of this grasshoppered district, and their tender sympathies 
were manifested by professional services and condolence to 
the tune of retainer fees, which in the days of old Rome would 
have made the eloquent Cicero himself blush with hesitation 
in receiving them. The many grievances that seemed to 
afflict these northwestern Counties then were simply astonish- 
ing, but the remedies suggested by the legal fraternity to be 
applied by use of County warrants were appalling and appar- 
ently numberless. Sioux City then was the guardian of these 
afflicted Counties, and when a steal was to be perpetrated, or 
when suspicion of its coming perpetration caused a ripple of 
comment and excitement among the people, then both boodler 
and reformer would hie themselves to Sioux City, and within 
the offices of their respective counsel the shadow of defeat for 
the one, or the sunshine of success for the other, would be 
thoroughly discussed, which would result either in an exhibi- 
tion of unbounded "cheek" or a triumph for the watchers and 
waiters for an honest administration. But the time finally 
arrived when the scathing voice of the people brought these 
wild speculations and exoribitant retainer fees to a close, and 
County affairs were held down to the bed-rock of reason and 
economy, and there was established rules of good government 
and efficient administration, which no one since has been dis- 
posed to violate nor depart from. 




s^^ir 



J. W, KAYE, 



100 insroRY of osceola corNrr, rowA. 

IndiQfnaitioii 

HEETIH 

Swamp Land 





All Iiidignatioii Meeting will be held at 
SIBLEY, MONDAY, AUG. 26, 72, at 2 p. iii., for the 
purpose of taking action against the 

Osceola Comity does not wish to become involved 
in a debt of $20,(MK).00 without anything to show 
for it. CO ME EVERY MAN- ' 

(jazette Print, Sibley, Osceola Co., Iowa. 




W. L. PARKER. 



102 niSTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!'. IOWA. 

The boodler gang which had fastened itself upon Osceola 
County in 1872, had by the boldness and mercenary motives 
of their operations, excited a strong and desperate feeling of 
opposition among the settlers. That year it was a theme for 
discussion, the topic of conversation, and taxed the ingenuity 
and better judgment of the honest element of the county as to 
what to do. Each side had their friends, and no other ques- 
tion entered into the election in the fall of 1872, except to elect 
into office representatives from one side or the other. On the 
26th day of August, 1872, by a previous call, there was as- 
sembled in Sibley, near the Sibley hotel, a large concourse of 
settlers from all over the connty, numbering about five hun- 
dred. These men were eager and determined in the feeling 
and spirit of reform, and were indignant. The meeting had 
been called by H. G. Doolittle, D. L. Riley and John Hawxs- 
hurst, and a circular requesting the settlers to meet had been 
sent over the county. The meeting was organized b}^ electing 
D. L. Riley chairman. 

It will be seen by the records of the board that there was 
to be swamp land selections, and that Frank Stiles was ap- 
pointed to select them. Settlers in the county were afraid 
that this unscrupulous gang might report some of their claims 
as on the swamp land order, and thus complicate their titles 
and throw their claims into contest and litigation, which would 
be troublesome and expensive. This question was discussed 
at the meeting also, and several made speeches. However 
much the settlers then may have been poor in this world's 
goods, there was not at this meeting any poverty of language. 
Winspear himself appeared and made a statement that in 
swamp land selections it was the railroad company lands they 
were after, and not the land occupied by settlers. He also 
read a letter from the Sioux City attorneys stating this fact, 
and among other things the letter instructed the Board to issue 
the six thousand dollars attorney fee in warrants of one thous- 
and each. Speeches were made by D. L. Riley, Hawxshurst, 
Doolittle and others, and the meeting finaly culminated in ap- 
pointing a committee of twenty-seven men, and these men 
were instructed to take the necessary steps to bring about 
the resignation of objectionable members of the Board of 
Supervisors, and to carry the feefing of reform into practical 
results in all departments of the county administration. This 
committee consisted of D. D. McCallum, George Hamilton 
M. J. Campbell, C. W. Wyllys, M. D. Hadsell, John Doug- 
lass, E, Huff, Geo. Ketcham, John P. Hawxshurst, C. M. 




W. L. PARKER S DRUG STORK. 



104 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Brooks, F. M. Robinson, J. F. Glover, A. M. Culver, W. H. 
Gates, H. L. Baker, Robt. Stamm, H. G. Doolittle, C. C. 

Jewel, Stickney, B. F. Tabler, C. C. Ogan, Rev. 

Jones. 

This committee demanded of the Board of Supervisors 
that they resign. The committee also organized, electing 
George Ketcham Captain, John Douglass First Lieutenant 
and M. D. Hadsell, Second Lieutenant. Nothing was done 
by them except upon a general conference, discussion and 
dehberation, and a final decision by vote of the committee as 
to the moves to be made. It was first decided to proceed to 
the house of H. R. Fenton, and demand his resignation at 
once, and if he refused to resign to carry out the vigilance 
committee act, and suspend the victim, as is usual in such 
cases, in mid-air. About the first day of September in this 
year of 1872, the committee met at the house of C. W. 
Wyllys and at about 10 o'clock in the evening started from 
there and went to Fenton's house. The committee took a 
rope along with them sufficient in strength for the hanging, 
and if the demands of the committee were not complied with, 
were anxious to use it. The committee halted in the slough 
west of Fenton's house and sent the Captain and the two lieu- 
tenants to make demand upon the Supervisor. Inquiry was 
made at the house and the three committee delegates were 
informed that Fenton was away from home, and it was 
learned afterwards that there was a traitor in the reform 
camp, and that Fenton had been notified and was in hiding. 
Fenton was then living on Section 20, in Wilson Township. 

The committee then proceeded to Winspear's house, 

which is where now lives, and the larger part of 

them remained in the railroad cut, near the house, while a 
delegation went to the house to demand the resignation. 
Winspear and friends, this committee's representatives were 
informed, said there would be no resignation, and that the 
inside of the house was an arsenal, and any attempt at violence 
would be resisted and that somebody would be killed. The 
committee, upon learning this state of affairs, retired peace- 
fully to their homes, and probably wondering when would 
this "cruel war be over." 

The next day it was rumored that Stiles had a warrant 
of arrest for Douglass, so that this irrepressible Scotchman 
cleaned up his six-shooter, went to Sibley, and tackled Stiles 
about the warrant, which Stiles denied. At this time Stiles 
had appointed twenty-six deputies, for his own and friends' 




HUGH JORDAN. 



106 /flSTORl" OF OSCEOLA COUNTT. IOWA. 

protection, and these were in Ward's saloon when Douglass 
went in. Their guns were standing around against the side 
of the building, when Douglass got some fellow to go around 
behind Pat Larkins' building and make a cry of fire, which he 
did, when the twenty-six deputies rushed out of the building 
at this unusual sound, and Douglass, left alone, dumped the 
shooting-irons through a trap door where there was about four 
feet of water. 

In the fall of 1872 Blackmer and some others went to 
Sioux City with $40,000 of Holman School District warrants 
for the purpose of negotiating, and D. D. McUallum happened 
to be in the city at the time and learning that these parties 
were there with the warrants and of their intentions, and know- 
ing the fraudulent character of the paper, notified the banks 
so that Blackmer and his party were unable to negotiate them. 
Bhickmer returned to Sibley with them, and was made to give 
them up, all but a $1,000 warrant which was kept upon the 
statement that he had none left. A. M. Culver was then one 
of the most active participants in the opposition forces against 
the Winspear crowd. During the winter of 1871-72 Culver 
took Winspear to Sioux City in a sleigh, in Februar}', and 
Winspear had with him the $350 warrant issued for a map of 
the County which the County had not yet seen. Culver knew 
nothing of the warrant, and Winspear in the genial feeling of 
companionship, suggested to Culver that as he was Treasurer 
of the Count}', there was a chance to make some money, and 
upon inquiry from Culver how it was to be done, said, to buy 
the warrants at a discount and turn them in for cash. Culver 
rejilied to him that as a county officer the law forbid it, and 
aside from that he did not want to make money that wa}'. 
Winspear negotiated the map warrant at Sioux City on this 
trip, and on his return Winspear was accused of selling the 
warrant which he did not den}^ but undertook to lay some of 
the blame onto Culver and told their conversation, distorting 
and misrepresenting what Culver had said. There was a 
crowd of settlers on that da}' in Sibley and this trip to Sioux 
City being the topic of conversation, Culver mounted a dry 
goods box and with that spirit of energy characteristic of the 
man, and in a feeling of indignation, he told the conversation 
that had taken place between himself and Winspear and 
branded Winspear as a liar and a knave. This was expected 
by some to bring about an open warfare and a resort to weap- 
ons for the ripple of excitement was great and almost irre- 
pressible, but the occasion passed off without disturbance, save 




G. I.. CASWELL. 



108 /nSTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, lOlVA. 

and except a war of words. County officers then, as now, 
were required to give bonds, but as all were homesteaders a 
bond could not be given in the county that would fill the re- 
quirements of the law but bonds were accepted with such 
signers as the officials could obtain. Soon after the Winspear 
administration had charge of the affairs it was found that Cul- 
ver would not do their bidding, so that under the pretense of 
apprehension Culver was notified that he must give a gilt- 
edged bond or the books would be taken away from him and 
he was given a certain length of time to procure the bond. 
Culver immediately, unbeknown to anybody, went to LeMars 
and obtained good names and then to Sioux City and obtained 
the name of T. J. Stone for $5,000. When the board met it 
was supposed that Culver had been unable to better the bond 
and Sheriff Stiles was ready to turn Culver out, but the Treas- 
urer showed up what he had and the Board relapsed into si- 
lence and acquiescence. The $6,000 allowed to H. B. Wilson 
and Joy & Wright as a retainer on the swamp land business 
was paid, but no swamp land was ever reclaimed or recovered. 
In justice, however, to all parties concerned, we present the 
following communication from the attorneys, which appeared 
January 9, -1874: 
Editors Gazette: 

We are compelled, by the position in which we find our- 
selves placed, to make the following statement to the citizens 
and taxpayers of Osceola County: 

It is well known to the majority of your citizens that we 
have been employed to commence and prosecute the necessar}' 
suit or suits to recover for Osceola County her swamp lands, 
and that a retainer was paid us for that purpose. 

By the terms of the agreement entered into between the 
county and ourselves, the county was to employ a competent 
surveyor — accompanied with good and truthful men, as wit- 
nesses — to make a selection of swamp lands, and ascertain the 
owner or owners thereof. And under this agreement, but 
against our advice and in opposition to our protest, the Board 
appointed Mr. Frank Stiles to make said selection. We urged 
upon the Board that Mr. Stiles was not the person to make 
the selection, not from any animosity to him, but because he 
was neither a theoretical or practical engineer or surveyor; 
because he was at that time (whether justly or unjustl}^) un- 
popular with a large number of your citizens, and any selections 
he might make would meet with more or less opposition, by 
reason of a want of confidence in him. 








W. R. BOLING. 



110 mSTURT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Under said appointment, Mr. Stiles went on and made a 
pretended selection of swamp lands, and did the work in such 
a manner that it was universally admitted, by citizens of the 
county, that no action could successfully be maintained upon 
it. We so advised the Board of Supervisors — the selection 
was repudiated, and the Board agreed to have another and 
proper selection made. Soon after this a new Board of 
Supervisors came into office, and we have been constant and 
unremitting in our efforts to induce them to have the swamp 
lands of the county selected, so that we can commence the 
necessary suit or suits, but without avail. 

Now we want the citizens of Osceola County to know 
and understand that we entered into an engagement with the 
county in good faith. It is impossible for us to make the 
selection; this the county must do, and the interests of the 
county imperatively demand that it should be attended to at 
once. For reasons, that it would be improper here to state, 
the county may lose her swamp lands if she does not move in 
this matter promptly. It is certain that further delay will 
greatly complicate the matter. If the county expects to ac- 
quire swamp lands, there must be a speedy assertion of her 
rights, and this can only be done by making the proper 
selections. We will not be answerable for the result of such 
delay. 

We are about to commence the necessary suit to recover 
the swamp lands of Lyon County in the next term of the 
District Court, and it would be convenient to commence in 
your county about the same time. 

We submit to the people of Osceola County that it is not 
treating us in good faith to place us in our present position in 
reference to this matter, and we wish it to be understood that 
if the swamp land claims of Osceola County are not prosecuted 
it will not be our fault. H. B. Wilson, 

Joy & Wright. 

This sort of belligerent spirit, or fighting campaign be- 
tween the contending forces, soon died away, and other and 
more peaceful methods were concluded upon. It was thought 
l)est to resort to legal proceedings and at the coming election, 
in the fall of 1872, to rally and elect a reform member of the 
board. 



CHAPTER XV. 

PROCEEDINGS OF BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, PARTIALLY GIVEN, 
INCLUDING ALL MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE. 

The first session of the Board, and the session of the first 
Board, was held January i, 1891. 

The Board was called to order by County Auditor, and 
there were present as members J. H. Winspear and H. R. 
Fenton. J. H. Winspear was elected Chairman. Eldredge 
Morrison qualified as Clerk of Holman Township, A. M. Culver 
as Treasurer of the County, H. L. Clapsaddle as Justice of 
the Peace for Holman Township, Geo. W. Ketcham as Clerk 
of Horton Township, O. Dunton as Justice of the Peace for 
Horton Township, Frank Stiles as Justice for Holman Town- 
ship, and Delily Stiles took the oath of office as County Sup- 
erintendent of Schools. The Board then adjourned to the 
next day, and met with the same members present. 

It was voted to give orders to Perkins Bros., of Sioux 
Cit}^ for books and stationery required for County purposes. 
C. M. Brooks qualified as Clerk of the District Court, M. J. 
Campbell as County Surveyor, and Geo. Spaulding appeared 
and took the oath of office as County Supervisor. Benjamin 
F. Cox qualified as Clerk of Goewey Township, and the 
Board then adjourned to January 3, the next day. 

The Board met as per adjournment, at which meeting the 
above members werepresent, with the addition of Geo. Spauld- 
ing. L. L. Webb qualified as Constable for Holman Town- 
ship, and D. F. Curtiss as Justice in Goewey Township. The 

following appointments were then made: Garvin, 

Coroner of the County; Frank Stiles, Sheriff; and William 
Jepson, Justice for Goewey Township. A large number of 
petitions asking that County roads be laid out were presented 
and allowed, and the Board adjourned to the next day, Jan- 
uary 4. _ 

At this adjourned meeting January 4, it was ordered 
that the County Surveyor select ten sections of land that may 
be marked swamp lands on the district land office plat, or as' 
near ten sections as he could. It was voted that Sible}^ be the 
county seat. Frank Stiles then qualified as Sheriff, John 



112 IIISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNXr, IOWA. 

Beaumont as Drainage Commissioner. Forty-live dollars was 
appropriated for paupers to be divided among the three town- 
ships. It was then voted to call a special election to vote on 
court house bonds to the amount of five thousand dollars; also 
to vote as to whether stock shall be prevented from running 
at large. 

John F. Glover asked that the County Auditor be author- 
ized to accept the bond of D. L. McCausland as County Re- 
corder, which he was, provided the bond was presented by 
January lo, 1872. It was also voted to call for bids for a 
house 14x20 feet, to be used by county officers. Provision 
was then made for desks and fuel. 

Salaries were fixed as follows: 

Treasurer, for the year $1,000 

Auditor, " " " " __. 840 

Recorder, " " " 500 

The following accounts were then allowed : 

Geo. Spaulding, supervisor and mileage $21 76 

H. R. Fenton, " " " i7 44 

J. H. Winspear, " " " ... 1600 

F. M. Robinson, services to Sioux City 60 00 

H. R. P'enton, " " " 6000 

J. H. Winspear, " " " 6000 

William Hecker, maps of county 350 00 

Frank Stiles, township trustee 2 00 

John Beaumont, " " 2 00 

H. K. Rogers, use of building _ .. 8 00 

The Board then adjourned to meet February 12, 1872. 

The Board met as per adjournment February 12, 1872, 
and the election in the mean time having been held to vote on 
the court house bonds and on stock running at large, the vote 
was canvassed and resulted as follows: 

For court house bonds 9 

Against court house bonds 52 

For the act restraininij stock 61 

Against the act of restraining stock i 

The Board then recognized D. L. McCausland as Re- 
corder and approved his bond, and also approved the appoint- 
ment of John F. Glover as Deputy Recorder. The Board 
then adjourned to meet the next day, February 13. 

At this, February 13, meeting Perkins Bros, were allowed 
$300 on their bill for books. One dollar was allowed on the 
scalp of each fox in addition to the state allowance, and the 
salary of C. M. Brooks, Clerk of Court, was fixed at $50 per 




W. MEADER HARPWARE BUILDING. 



114 HISTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

month. It was also voted to advertise in the LeMars Vidette 
for bids for the erection of a court house to be 20x40 feet and 
paid for in county warrants. The Board then adjourned to 
meet next day, February 15. 

The Board met as per adjournment, February 15, 1872. 
Their first act was to authorize the County Auditor to take 
lei^al measures to take the books of the County Recorder's 
othce from John Beaumont and turn them over to D. L. 
McCausland. There was then allowed various bills for the 
support of paupers, county seals, Supervisors' services, and 
other things aggregating $342,36, and after this the Board 
adjourned without day. 

The next meeting of the Board was April i, 1872, and at 
this meeting the reports of road commissioners were acted 
upon' and several roads established and designated. John 
Beaumont was allowed $30 salary while he was Recorder and 
D. L. McCausland i})62,6o for expenses in obtaining possession 
of Recorder's books. 

The next meeting of Board was the next day, April 2, 
at which time other business was transacted with reference to 
roads, M. J . Campbell was approved as deputy clerk of 
courts, and Lewis E. Diefendorf as deputy treasurer. It was 
then voted to employ Geo. W. Waketield to secure the adjust- 
ment of swamp land claims of the county against the United 
States. 

The next meeting of the Board was April 3, and no 
business of importance was transacted. 

The next meeting of the Board was April 4, 1872, at 
which time it was voted to accept the bid of Henry Phrings- 
ton for putting up court house building, for the sum of $1,249. 
There was also bills allowed for several purposes, supervisors 
services, paupers, officers pay, etc, in all aggregating $639.99, 
The Board next met May 6, 1872. This session was not 
extended and no business of importance transacted. Bills 
were allowed for surveying, goods furnished county, expenses 
to Sioux City, etc., aggregating $283.55. 

Next meeting of the Board was held June 3, 1872, which 
was unimportant. 

The Board next met on the 4th da}' of June, at which 
time Perkins Bros, were allowed $1,500 for county books, and 
there was no other business except in connection with the 
establishment of roads. 

Board met again June 5. At this meeting it was voted 
to appropriate $500 in building a bridge across Otter Creek 



HTSTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 115 

on Section 15, Township 98, Range 42. Also the sum of 
$350 to build a bridge across Ocheyedan Creek on the 
Ocheyedan Valley road, $200 in bridging Otter Creek on 
Section 13, Township 99, Range 42, J}? 160 bridging Otter 
Creek on County road No. 11, and $135 bridging Otter 
Creek on Section 12, Township 99, Range 42. There was 
also allowed various bills for salaries, fees, and other things, 
aggregating $598.21. 

The next meeting of Board was held June 6, and at this 
meeting no business was transacted, except bridging Ocheye- 
dan Creek near Section 16, Township 99, Range 40. 

Board met again June 7, 1872, and it was voted that 
sealed proposals be received for building six bridges. It was 
also voted — upon a petition presented by John F. Glover, 
John Beaumont and others — that Henry Phringston be allowed 
$100 to release County from his contract to build court 
house, and that an election be called to vote on court house 
bonds to the amount of $5,000 with which to build court 
house. Bills were then allowed to the amount of $82.18, and 
Board adjourned to July 17, 1872. 

Board met again July 17, as per adjournment, and nothing 
was done except passing the following resolution: 

" Whereas, On the 17th day of July, 1872, by a decree of 
the District Court in and for the County of Osceola, in the 
State of Iowa, John A. Schmidt, Esq., recovered a judgment 
against the County of Osceola for the sum of three thousand 
Hftv and twenty hundredths dollars ($3,050.20), and, 

" Whereas, On the 17th day of July, 1872, the said John 
A. Schmidt, Esq., under the provisions of Chapter 174, Laws 
of 1872, elected not to issue execution on said judgment, but 
to receive payment of said judgment in the bonds of Osceola 
County, bearing 10 per cent interest per annum, and, 

" Whereas, In our judgment the interests of Osceola 
County will be best subserved and promoted by issuing said 
bonds, therefore be it 

'■'Resolved, By the Board of Supervisors of Osceola 
County, that the County of Osceola do issue its bonds, in 
compliance with the election of said John A. Schmidt to 
liquidate said judgment, and that the President of the Board 
and the County Auditor are directed and instructed to duly 
execute said bonds under the seal of Osceola County." 

Board met again July 18, 1872, and at this meeting the 
votes cast for court house bonds at the second election wert^ 
canvassed, and the following was the count: 



116 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 

FOR BONDS. 

Holman Township 57 

Goewey Township 3 

Horton Township 7 

Total number for ^ 67 

AGAINST BONDS. 

Holman Township 4 

Goewey Township . 10 

Horton Township 8 

Total number against 22 

Following this, the usual resolution to provide for bonds 
and carry out the vote was passed. C. I. Hill, Henry 
Phringston and D. L. Riley were appointed a committee to 
prepare plans and specifications for court house. The con- 
tract to build the six bridges mentioned in a previous meeting 
were then let to various parties, the six aggregating $1,522. 
There was then appropriated $135 to bridge on east line of 
Section 26, Township 100, Range 42; $250 was also appro- 
priated for bridge on Section 34, Township, Range 42; and 
$300 for building bridge across Ocheyedan. 

The next meeting of Board was held July 18. This 
meeting fixed the sheriff's salary at $200 per year, and passed 
bills aggregating $981.11. 

The next meeting of the Board was held August 12, 
1872. The following resolution was passed: 

'■'■Resolved, That H. B. Wilson and Joy & Wright are 
hereby employed as counsel to prosecute the swamp land 
claims for the county, and that we allow them the sum of 
$6,000 in county warrants as a retainer and compensation, and 
the Auditor is instructed to is.sue warrants for the same, and 
that the contingent interest in the lands that may be recovered 
shall not exceed the proportion they are to receive in Lyon 
County for prosecuting their swamp land claims." 

Frank Stiles was appointed to make the necessary 
survey of the swamp lands, and his compensation was fixed at 
10 cents an acre. The contract to build court house was 
awarded to Henry Phringston for $3,447, and the court house 
was to be completed by November i, 1872. Bills were then 
allowed for various things amounting in all to $368.74. 

Board again met September 2, 1872. Nothing was done 




FRED H. BUNKER. 



118 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

at this meeting, except such business as pertained to the estab- 
lishment of roads. 

Next meeting of the Board September 2. 
The following resolution was adopted : " Resolved., That 
the chairman of the Board of Supervisors be hereby instructed 
to employ such counsel as he may deem necessary to defend 
the county in the measures now adopted by the Board of 
Supervisors." There was then allowed bills to the amount of 
$388, and the Board adjourned. 

Board again met September 17, 1872. There was con- 
siderable business done in the establishment of count}^ roads, 
and levies were made as follows: 
For State revenue, 2^ mills. 
For ordinary county revenue, 4 mills. 
For support of schools, 2 mills. 
For payment of court house bonds, 5 mills. 
For payment of interest on judgment bonds, '^y, mills. 
There was also passed the following resolution : 
" Resolved^ That C. W. Blackmer is hereby authorized to 
purchase fifty-one volumes of the Iowa reports, and that we, 
the Board of Supervisors of Osceola County, hereby appro- 
priate $700 for the purchase of the same, and the County 
Auditor is hereby instructed to issue that amount of County 
warrants to C. W. Blackmer, for the purpose of obtaining said 
Iowa Reports for the use of the county." 

There was also allowed bills at this session aggregating 
$600.08, among which were: 

Frank Stiles, hand cuffs and leg irons $ 51 

Frank Stiles, attending court with twenty-seven deputies, 

September 2 . 56 

Frank Stiles, attending court with five deputies, Septem- 
ber 3 12 

C. W. Blackmer, attorney's fees 40 

J. H. Wmspear, attending court 12 

J. H. Winspear, expenses and services to Sioux City see- 
ing to the printing of the court house bonds 100 

The Board next met October 7, 1872. At this meeting 
Horton Towaiship, as originally organized, was divided into 
three civil townships, as follows: Township 100, Range 42, 
to be known as Fenton Township. Township 100, Range 41, 
to be called Wilson Township. Township 100, Range 40, to 
be called Horton Township. Elections for township oflicers 
for these townships were ordered for the general election in 
1872, to be held in Wilson Township at the house of James 



/[IS TOR I 



OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 119 



Miller; for Fenton Township, at the house of John H. Hart; 
for Horton Township, at the house of L. G. Ireland. It was 
voted to allow Crandall & Hall $900, part payment on bridge 
contract. Bills were allowed amounting to $1,025.40. 

The Board next met October 21, 1872. At this meeting 
a resolution was passed authorizing Henry Phringston to build 
privy, coal house, steps to court house, one vane and flag 
staff and to fit up room under the stairway, for which he was 
to receive in addition to court house contract, $1,053. Bills 
were then allowed amounting to $310.25. 

The next meeting of the Board was held November 11, 
1 87 2. At this meeting the votes cast at the general election 
held this month were canvassed. As there is, in another part 
of this history, the names of all officers of the county since its 
organization, the officers declared elected at this session will 
be found there. It was also voted to issue bonds for $1091.65 
to J. M. Grant to satisfy a judgment obtained by Grant against 
the county; also voted to issue bonds to the amount of 
$1,339.06 to Condion & Harris to satisfy a judgment they had 
obtained in the circuit court against Osceola County. 

The next meeting of the Board was on November 13, 
1872. At this meeting Henry Phringston was instructed to 
get the court house furniture from the railroad depot and to 
set it up, and for these services was allowed $250. Delialy 
Stiles, County Superintendent, w^as allowed $200 as salary 
from January i, 1872 to January i, 1873. 

The following resolution was passed: 

Resolved, That the Auditor is hereby instructed to flt up 
and furnish the two north rooms on the first floor and a jury 
room on the second floor of the court house for the use and 
benefit of the poor of the county and to furnish provisions and 
everything he deems necessary for the comfort of the same. 

There was also allowed bills of various kinds and amounts, 
aggregatmg $2,403.21, among which were: 
Henry Phringston, drawing plans and specifications 

of court house ^60 00 

J. H. Winspear, inspecting court house -. 10 00 

Furniture for court house 1,102 00 

The Board next met November 27, at which no business 
was transacted, except a small amount for burning around 
bridge for $4.20. 

The next meeting of the Board was held December 16, 
1872, at which were present the members, as at other meet- 
ings, being J. H. Winspear, H. R. Fenton and George Spauld- 



120 JilSTORV OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

incr. The Auditor was instructed to issue a warrant of $106.03 
to pay the premium for $2,000 insurance on the court house 
and furniture, in the Home Insurance Company of Columbus, 
Ohio; warrant issued to W. H. Turner. 

H. R. Fenton was instructed to procure safe for Treas- 
urer, and the Auditor ordered to issue warrant to pay what 
was necessary for it. Board adjourned to Dec. 17. 

Board met Dec. 17, 1872, as per adjournment. Mr. 
Spaulding was not present. It was ordered by the Board that 
the Auditor employ an attorney in Clayton County to get 
proof of the residence of Thomas Carroll. It was voted to 
issue bonds to William C. Frye in the amount of $6,300 to 
satisfy a judgment against the County in the United States 
Court, and also a warrant of $38.80 to said Frye, which would 
complete payment of judgment. A new survey of swamp 
lands was then ordered, and in connection therewith the fol- 
lowing resolution was passed: 

" Resolved^ That Frank Stiles is hereby allowed the sum 
of five hundred dollars for the use of his present survey book 
of swamp land selections for Osceola County as a guide to the 
County in conducting the new survey of swamp lands of said 
County this day ordered by the Board of Supervisors, and 
that, the Auditor is instructed to issue a warrant to said 
Frank Stiles of that amount, upon his delivering said survey 
book to the Auditor at his office." 

Board then adjourned to Dec. 18, at which meeting noth- 
ing was done except allowances for bills of various amounts 
and kinds, aggregating $1,231.76. 

Board met again Dec. 30, 1872, members all present. The 
first thing done was to instruct the Auditor to insure court 
house and furniture in the Hawkeye Insurance Company to 
the amount of $2,000, and issue warrant sufficient to pay 
premium. It was then voted to accept the proposition of L. 
A. Barker to print 5,000 pamphlets on Osceola County for 
distribution, and the Auditor was instructed to issue warrant 
for $800 to pay the same. 

The Board next met December 31. The official bonds 
were approved and the Auditor's salary was increased ; as also 
that of the Recorder. Polk & Hubbell, of Des Moines, were 
allowed $100 for service in the case of Wm. O. Frye vs. 
Osceola County. Bills were then allowed amounting to 
$1,269.94. Among the bills allowed were: 




G. W. LISTER. 



122 IIISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Frank Stiles, balance on bridge grading, etc $475 oo 

J. H. Winspear, railroad fare to defend in Frye vs. 

County 60 00 

J. H. Winspear, expenses in same case 40 00 

C. W. Blackmer, counsel and advice 250 00 

This last meeting of the Board closed the first year's ad- 
ministration of the County Supervisors. As near as can be 
ascertained from a thorough search of the records and the 
minutes of the Board, there was issued in county warrants 
during the year 1872, $29,000. There was also issued bonds 
in the sum of $17,801.41. These bonds were based upon 
judgments rendered in different courts, and aside from the 
court house bonds, the judgments are based upon actions 
brought upon county warrants which are a part of the $29,000 
of warrants issued. The exact indebtedness at the close of 
1872 cannot be accurately determined, but to approximate it 
would stand as follows; 

Bonds drawing 10 per cent, interest $17,801 31 

County warrants 1 8,000 00 

Continuing as to the Board of Supervisors, there was to 
be one member of the Board elected at the (general election 
in 1872. At this election D. L. Riley and L. Y. Diefendorf 
were candidates for the office, and the votes were a little 
mixed on the Riley ballots. They read D. I. Rile}', D. L. 
Riley and L. F. Riley, so that the Board declared the result 
as follows: 

VOTES 

L. F. Dfefendorf 78 

D. I. Riley 75 

D. L. Riley . 55 

L. F. Riley. i 

And officiall}' declared that Diefendorf was elected. 

It cannot be found, however, from the records that Diefen- 
dorf ever qualified or acted with the Board. We know 
nothing of the man, but he undoubtedl}^ conscientiously felt 
that he was not entitled to the office, and did not have the 
audacity nor the desire to force himself upon the people even 
with the Board's decision that he? was "duh- elected." Some- 
thing had to be done, however, to straighten the record and 
overturn this otficial decision made by the Board, so that the 
proper proceedings were instituted by D. L. Riley, as con- 
testant, against Diefendorf, incumbent. The tribunal then to 
decide contested elections consisted of the Circuit Judge and 
two associate judges, one chosen by the contestant and the 



HlSTORi OF OSCEOLA COUNT}', IOWA. 123 

Other by incumbent, Riley chose I. N. Gardner, and as the 
incumbent failed to make a choice, the Clerk of the Court, 
then J. F. Glover, made choice of A, M. Culver. The court 
so constituted met at Sibley January 2, 1873, ^"^ that day and 
the day following was taken up in preliminary matters, and 
making up issues, also receiving evidence, and on these days, 
and including the next day, the case was fully presented to 
the court. On January 4, 1873, the court decided that the 
contestant, D. L. Riley, was entitled to the otllce, and he then 
and there appeared and took the oath of otlice and thereby 
became a member of the Board, leaving Diefendorf to pay the 
costs. 

BOARD PROCEEDINGS OF 1873, 

The first meeting of the Board in 1873 was held January 
6, and was called to order by the County Auditor, and there 
were present H. R. Fenton and D. L. Riley. Riley elected 
Fenton chairman, and the Board proceeded to approve othcial 
bonds and adjourned until afternoon. 

At the afternoon session the three members were present, 
which added George Spaulding, and these three constituted 
the Board. Some business was transacted with reference to 
roads, and the Board adjourned until the next day, January 7. 

January 7, 1873, the three members were present. J. H. 
Douglass, Sheriff, notified the Board that he had appointed C. 
M. Bailey as deputy; J. F. Glover, Clerk of Court, gave notice 
that he had appointed as deputy, F. M. Robinson, and F. M. 
Robinson, County Auditor, notified the Board that his deput}- 
was C. M. Brooks. The Board then fixed the salaries of 
office, which were to be paid at the end of each month, as 
follows : 

Treasurer $ 50 00 

Auditor 100 00 

Clerk of Court . 40 00 

Recorder 40 00 

Sheriff . 1665 

Count}' Superintendent of Schools 15 00 

The Board then allowed various bills amounting in all to 
$331.57, and adjourned to Januar}' 20. 

Januar}- 20, 1873, the Board met pursuant to adjournment, 
and there were present Fenton and Spaulding, Riley being 
absent. Nothing was done particularly at this session. John 
Beaumont was allowed $58.35 for services as recorder the 
year before, up to the time McCausland gobbled the books, 
and other bills were allowed amounting to $541.60. The 
Board then adjourned to meet February 20 next. 



124 J/fSTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

February 20, meeting of the Board was held as per 
adjournment, with Fenton and Spaulding present, Riley 
absent. It was voted that Chairman Fenton employ any 
counsel to appear for the county any time he may deem it 
necessary. The following astounding resolution was then 
passed : 

'■'■Resolved., That the proposition of C. W. Blackmer be 
accepted, and the Auditor of this county is hereb}- directed to 
issue to the said C. W. Blackmer the sum of twenty thousand 
dollars, in warrants of such dimensions as the said C. W. 
Blackmer may determine. It is understood and agreed that, 
out of the sum so issued to the said C. W. Blackmer, he is to 
compensate the assistant counsel which he has agreed to 
employ, and, 

" Whereas^ The said C. W. Blackmer has further pro- 
posed to this Board that he will accept for the remainder of 
his compensation a contingent fee of 20 per cent of the 
amount recovered from the railroad company and Woodbur}" 
County, therefore, be it further 

'■'■Resolved., That said County of Osceola will pay the said 
C. W. Blackmer and his assistant counsel the said contingent 
fee of 20 per cent, provided the same shall amount to more 
than the said sum of twenty thousand dollars; it being under- 
stood that the said sum of twenty thousand dollars is to be 
deducted from said sum of 20 per cent, and that the said 
C. W. Blackmer and his assistant counsel are only to receive 
the balance, if any remaining, as a contingent fee." 

The Board then appointed L. F. Diefendorf as their 
clerk fro tern.., by reason of F. M. Robinson refusing to act 
as clerk in issuing warrants to Blackmer. It seems that at 
this time there was considerable excitement in the county 
over this $20,000 to Blackmer, which caused the Board in 
the afternoon of this same session to rescind the resolution, 
and they passed another, employing Winspear and Blackmer 
to recover back taxes from the railroad comjjany, allowing 
the attorneys a retainer of $500 and 25 per cent on the 
amount recovered. It was also voted that C. M. Brooks 
should hang blinds upon the court house windows at $4.50 
each, and the Auditor was authorized to issue a warrant of 
$400 to said Brooks, immediately, as part payment, balance 
to be paid when work was completed. The Treasurer's 
salary was then increased to $100 per month, and a warrant 
drawn for $50 for the extra compensation in Januar}-. 

February 21, 1873, the Board again met with Fenton and 
Spaulding present, and Riley absent. The Board ordered a 




SIBLEY ROLLER MILLS. 



126 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT}', IOWA. 

warrant drawn of $400, part pay for pamphlets, and allowed 
bills aggregating $2,611.33. Among the bills were the fol- 
lowing: 
H. R. Fenton, expenses to Sioux City, four days time-$ 45 00 

Blackmer, attorney's fees 20 00 

McCaffery & Harmon, attorney's fees 35 00 

C. W. Blackmer, balance of bill presented to Board 

December 31, 1S72 250 00 

McCaffery & Harmon, attorney's fees 50 00 

The next meeting of the Board was held March 11, 1873, 
at which time there was present Fenton and Riley. Nothing 
important was done at this session except to pass a resolution 
dismissing all attorneys and inviting proposals from Sibley 
lawyers to do the county business. Bills were allowed 
amounting in all to $565.94. 

Board met again April 7, 1S73. The following resolution 
was adopted: 

'■'■Resolved., That J. H. Winspear and S. W. Harmon are 
employed to appear for the county in all suits now pending in 
the District Court and defend same." 

Fenton and Spaulding voting for, and Riley against. 
Board adjourned to meet April 14. 

April 14th, as per adjournment, the record shows that 
only Riley was present and he adjourned over until April 21. 

The record here shows a change in the Board, and that 
O. Dunton and B. F. Mundorf were appointed to till the 
vacancy caused by removal. The first meeting of this newly 
constituted Board was held April 21, 1873, at which time 
there were present D. L, Riley, O. Dunton and B. F. Mun- 
dorf. D. L. Riley was elected chairman. The Board trans- 
acted the usual business pertaining to county legislation. Bills 
were allowed, a large part pertaining to court expenses, in all 
amounting to $1,071.46. 

The Board of 1874 consisted of D. L. Riley, O. Dunton 
and F. E. Perry. This Board placed the affairs of the 
county upon a thorough business basis, and established a 
system of econom)' which succeeding Boards have not de- 
parted from. The Board of Supervisers from that time up to 
the present have all been men who had the interest of the 
county at heart. The debt of the county has been reduced, 
warrants are at par, and the administration of the count}' 
affairs is satisfactory to the people. I'he different persons 
who have constituted the Board of different years will be 
found under the list of county officers. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

The Sibley Gazette in its starting out, although pub- 
lished by Ren Barker, was made to sparkle with the wit, the 
genius and all kinds of advice and suggestions, from Nellie 
Granger. She wrote many articles of well constructed sen- 
tences, under the name of Nellie F. Granger, and the hard 
and pointed hits she distributed around in the community are 
remembered by tradition, while the files of the paper have 
been laid on the shelf for years, and nearly obliterated by 
carelessness and misuse. Barker himself seemed to strucrirle 
against some criticisms, and was foolish enough to notice 
them, for we see by his early issues occasional items, like the 
following: 

"May be some people know our biz better than we do. 
If so they are invited to take charge of the machine." 

The January 24, 1873, number of the Gazette^ announces 
that the Rock Rapids Rcviezv has been started by O. A. 
Cheney, and that the Sheldon Mail has started out on the sea 
of journalism. It also says that the January blizzard has done 
somebody good, as the homesteaders have found work shovel- 
ing snow, which will enable them to live through the winter. 
It also expresses fears that E. R. Hazen was lost in the storm, 
in the following item : 

" Nothing has been heard of Elmore R. Hazen, who 
worked in Sibley last fall, at carpentering, and who owned a 
claim in this county, and who started, as we have learned, on 
the morning of the great storm, to go to Ocheyedan river for 
wood. It is feared that he has perished." 

Hazen, however, is still in the land of the living. In 
January of 1873, the following mail routes were established: 

From Cherokee to Sibley, 48 miles and back, once a week. 

From LeMars, by Orange City, Ocheyedan and Sibley, 
to Worthington, Minn., 74 miles and back, once a week. 

From Spirit Lake, by Melrose, Silver Lake, Sibley and 
Doon, to Beloit, 92 miles and back, once a week. 

From Sibley to Beloit, 48 miles and back, once a week. 

The reader well knows how the progress of the county 
has long since abolished these routes for more speedy trans- 
portation. The cold snap of January 28, sent the thermome- 



128 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

ter down to 32 degrees below zero, and at Sioux City 23 be- 
low. That kept the homesteaders of Osceola County bus}^ 
twisting hay. The January 7, 1873, blizzard so blocked the 
Sioux City and St. Paul road, now the Chicago, St. Paul, Min- 
neapolis and Omaha, that the train was not got through until 
Feb. 14. In February 12, 1873, the following announcement 
through the columns of the local press was made to the 
people : 

"Repudiation. — All the citizens that are in favor of re- 
pudiating the indebtedness of Osceola County, for the year 
1872, about $20,000, are requested to meet at the court house 
on Saturday, March ist. McCaffery & Harmon will guaran- 
tee a clear case. Let there be a full attendance." 

This movement it seems died a " horning," as the follow- 
ing minutes of the meeting will show : 

REPUDIATION MEETING. 

Proceedings of mass meeting called to consider the pro- 
priety of repudiating the county indebtedness, above that 
allowed by law, held at the court house in Sibley, March 
ist, 1873. 

At half past one o'clock the meeting was called to order 
by J. McCaffery, of the firm of McCaffery & Harmon. On 
motion W. A. Spencer was elected chairman and M. J. Camp- 
bell secretary. 

At the request of J. McCaffery, J. F. Glover made a state- 
ment of the amount of warrants issued in excess of the amount 
allowed by law in 1S72 and 1873, '^s follows: In 1872, 
$14,696.24, and in 1873, ^P ^^ March ist, $432.19. 

J. McCaffery opened the meeting by a speech in favor of 
repudiation, and was replied to by J. T. Barclay, H. Jordan, 
et al. 

Tiie following resolution was passed: 

" Resolved, That a committee of one be appointed to wait 
upon the Board of Supervisors at their next session, to request 
them not to issue any warrants for attorney's fees, in any case 
whatever except in criminal cases or to an attorney employed 
by the year." 

Motion was made by D. M. Shuck that the vote of the 
house be taken on the question of repudiation; and the vote 
was unanimous against repudiation. 

On motion of J. ¥. Glover, J. McCaffery was allowed ten 
minutes more in which to present his case more fully. 

The following resolution was then adopted, viz: 




J. L. McLAURY 



130 I/ISTOKr OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 

'■'■ Resolved^ That a committee of three be elected by the 
house to confer with the attorneys of this place in reference 
to making a contract with one or more of them to become the 
people's attorney for the year, and that we authorize them to 
make such contract, in case it can be done upon satisfactory 
terms. O. Dunton, D. M, Shuck and D. F. Curtis were then 
elected as said committee. 

On motion of J. F. Glover, J. McCaffery received a vote 
of thanks for calling this meeting. 

W. A. Spencer, Chainnan. 

M. J. Cainipbell, Secretary. 

In July, 1873, the postoffice was established at the house 
of L. G. Ireland, with Mr. Ireland as postmaster. This was 
long before Ocheyedan was thought of. At the same time 
a postoffice* was established at Silver Lake, Dickinson County, 
at the house of C. B. Knox, with Mr. Knox as postmaster. 
These were on the Sibley and Spirit Lake route, with Orren 
Jones as mail carrier. 




D. D. McCALLUM. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Horton township's first settler came in 1S71. In 1870 
Seymovir Coyour, then under age, came to Minnesota with his 
father, and lived just over the line of Horton in Minnesota. 
When Seymour came of age he made contest of the north- 
west quarter of Section 24 and succeeded in obtaining the 
land, which he filed upon and still fives on the same place. 
The first settler in Horton Township was L. G. Ireland, who 
is elsewhere mentioned as coming from Clayton County, Iowa, 
with A. B. Elmore and E. N. Moore. Mr. Elmore was also 
one of Horton's first settlers, on Section 34, but he did not 
long remain in Horton, as he soon after took a claim in 
Ocheyedan. Mr, Ireland took the southeast quarter of Section 
34, and turned the first furrow of the soil of that township. He 
was also a lawyer, but he was not a distinguished member of 
that profession and did not claim to be. He was polit'cally 
ambitious, and was once a candidate for the Legislature on an 
independent ticket. He has since died. His claim is now 
owned by Dick Wassmann. So far as we can learn there 
were no other settlers in Horton Township in 187 1 except 
Mr. Elmore and Mr. Ireland. 

In 1872 there were many who settled in this township. 
N. W. Emery, who is elsewhere mentioned, came that year. 
W. R. Boling, mentioned also in another chapter, came in 
1872. Mr. Boling had two brothers, J. T. and E. W., who 
lived in Horton, but have since moved away. E. W. moved 
from the township into Ocheyedan and resided there until 
about two years ago, when he moved to Powshiek County, 
Iowa, where he now resides. J. T. was justice in that town- 
ship several years, and is now an evangelist nnd lives in Illinois. 
In 1872 also C. M. Richards, W. Bisby, W. W. Herron, Henry 
and Dan Gibson and Jacob Brooks settled in Horton, coming 
from Butler County, Iowa. Richards left about eight years 
ago, and now resides in Pipestone, Minnesota. Bisby went to 
Butler County. Herron is in California. Mr. Brooks is now 
a merchant at Sibley. Also H. B. Clemens came that year to 
the township, and a few years ago went to Washington. 
During the residence of these Butler County people Richards 
was one of the township trustees, and in the fall went to Butler 




BROWN & CHAMBERS BLOCK, STBLEY 



134 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

County and remained during the winter. While thus away 
on a visit, the other trustees declared his ofiice vacant, and 
made an appointment. Richards returned in the spring and 
was present at the annual meeting, when he was informed 
that during his absence the office had dropped from under 
him, and that another had been appointed to fill the vacant 
place. Richards was not of that kind to surrender so easily — 
using a common expression — he was not built that way. He 
first gave vent to his feelings, spoke his mind, and this, with 
the talking back, culminated in an open fight, in which the 
other fellows got the worst of it, and the affair finally drifted 
into court. Richards, however, held the office until the expira- 
tion of his term. Samuel Collett settled in Horton in 1872; 
he proved up on his claim and moved to Montana, where he 
now resides. Jacob Brooks owned the original quarter upon 
which he settled until recently, and it is now occupied by Mr. 
H. Keith. 

Since the earlier settlements in Horton Township quite a 
a number of German families have moved into the township, 
and these Germans are considered as some of its most sub- 
stantial and industrious citizens. In 1882 Henry Wassmann 
with his son Dick, Charles Griep and several others of their 
neighbors left Indiana and bought tickets to Chicago, from 
there to Glendive, Montana. They were simply going west 
as men do go, without knowing exactly where until they looked 
it over. They got to Bismarck in North Dakota, when the 
elder Wassmann thought that any more west was too much 
for him, and told the rest of the party they could go on, but 
as for himself he should look over a part of Iowa. This 
caused the three parties above named to return to St. Paul, 
where they bought tickets to Sheldon. They drove from 
Sheldon to Bigelow, Minn., and not desiring to settle there, 
were returning, when, by parties at Sibley, they were induced 
to settle in Osceola County, which they did. The Wass- 
mann's bought several pieces of land, among which was the 
L. G. Ireland place on Section 34, where Dick Wassmann 
now lives. His correct name is Diedrich Wassmann, but is 
commonly called Dick. There is no better farm in the count}" 
than Dick Wassmann's, and no better place for a home than 
right there among the large variety of forest trees, set out by 
tiie lamented Ireland and later by Dick himself. About one 
hundred different kinds of trees stand there in the gorgeous 
grandeur of their green foliage and as the leaves rustle in the 
breeze, they seem to whisper a voice of contentment, of thrift 




\V. F. ALDRED. 



136 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

and independence which mark the surroundings, and are ex- 
pressed in the hospitality of the occupant, for Dick Wass- 
mann is no more diminutive in heart and soul than he is in 
statue. There are kinds of trees on this farm that probably 
couldn't be found anywhere else in the state, and fruit trees 
in abundance. Henry Wassmann returned to Indiana where 
he still resides. Charles Griep bought the northeast quarter 
Section 27 where he still lives and is a successful farmer. 

The coming of these parties here was the means of other 
Germans following them and buying land in Horton. 

Henry Pinkenburg took a part of Section 25, also did 
Conrad Hattendorf; Henry Rusche the northwest quarter of 
Section 14; Fred Glade a part of Section 23; William Lick a 
part of Section 21, and Conrad Oldendorf a part of Sections 
23 and 25. W. H. Noehren bought the northeast quarter of 
Section 22, and still Hvqs there. Mr. Noehren has been 
prominent in township matters, and at present is a member of 
the Board of County Commissioners. This township has a 
good class of people, and among its other substantial farmers 
not otherwise mentioned are the three Piscators, father and 
two sons, who we believe are on Section 8, Gustav Johnson on 
Section 10, William Rehborg on Section 11, and August 
Polinski on Section 13. 

On Section 14, besides Henry Rusche, lives August 
Bremer on the northeast quarter, and John Estabrook on the 
southwest quarter. Conrad Bremer is on Section 15, William 
Filk and John Farragher on Section 18, and Peter Wickland 
on Section 19. On Section 20 is Vaclave Sixty, also John 
Maske, Joseph Rhomatko and Joseph Cload. On Section 22 
we find Chris Bremer and Henry Redeker. 

John Robertson has the southeast quarter of Section 24, 
and John Gielow and William Grave are on Section 26. On 
Section 27, besides Mr. Griep, are Charles Schmidt and 
William Sein-. Mr. Jolin Thompson lives on a quarter of 
Section 28, and Mr. I. B. Titus owns a part of Section 30, and 
is the only resident on that section. Frank Engle is on Sec- 
tion 31, and William Maske on Section 32. Chris Wassman 
is on Section 35 and has recently built there a house and barn. 
On Section 36 William Carney has a quarter, also A. V. 
Randall, and on the same section Mr. Elmore has a tree claim. 
Mr. Randall formerly lived on his quarter, but is now in 
business in Ocheyedan. J. T. Boling's place is now owned 
by Herman Bauermeister, who lives in Worlhington, Minn. 




GEO. RUPNER. 



138 lllSTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

GRASSHOPPER PERIOD. 

The histoiy of the great world itself recognizes certain 
distinct periods which have marked the ages with their differ- 
ent characteristics. Osceola County is but a small part of 
this mighty universe, but its brief history has it periods which 
are readily recognized by those of its citizens whose residence 
here reaches back even for only a decade. 

The first was its filing period, when settlers made record 
in the government office, that they claimed certain pieces of 
land for residence and occupation. The next was the grass- 
hopper period, and the last a period of general contentment 
and prosperit}'. This part of the histoiy is devoted to the 
grasshopper period, and following this, the relief campaign 
which followed in the wake of destroyed crops and destitution. 
The writer himself went through this " reign of terror " and 
knows all about it by personal contact and experience. The 
grasshopper itself was a curiosity; we call it grasshopper be- 
cause then among settlers it bore no other name, while the 
books designate the pest as the "Rocky Mountain locust." 

The natural home of these insects was on the barren 
table lands along the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. 
There they deposited their eggs every year. In Wyoming 
Territory, Western Nebraska, Texas, the Indian Territory 
and New Mexico, the broods were annually hatched. In their 
native haunts they attained an enormous size, many specimens 
being three inches in length. Scientific men, who have studied 
the habits of the grasshoppers state that each succeeding brood 
degenerates in size, and after three or four generations the 
weaker are obliged to swarm and seek other quarters, being 
driven out by the larger and stronger insects. 

These exiles rise and go with the wind, keeping the 
direction in which they first start, stopping in their flight for 
subsistence and depositing eggs in a prolific manner during the 
incubating season, which lasted from the middle of June to the 
middle of September. 

This region had been visited by grasshoppers before, but 
did not excite a great deal of attention for the reasons that the 
county was sparsel}^ settled and but a small area of land under 
cultivation, and they came so late in the season that small 
grains were generally out of their reach, but extreme North- 
western Iowa then was not settled, so that their ravages were 
further east. Their first appearance at Sibley was on the 5th 
day of June, 1S73. The first seen of them was a huge black 



I 







/^^i 



\ 



^^'-^ 



14^. )J^:'-'^^W# 



Q, E. CLEAVELAND. 



140 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

cloud, which was none other than a swarm of grasshoppers, 
and which sent out a roaring sound that terrified the ears. 
Where there was any grain to cut even before its maturity, 
the settlers went at it to save what they could, but the grass- 
hoppers were not bad reapers themselves, and the modern and 
latest improved of agricultural machinery cut but little figure 
in the race, when that swarm of grasshoppers came down and 
went to work. They were possessed of great vitality and 
enormous appetites; their first appearance was alarming and 
their devastations were appalling. It introduced to the settlers 
a serious problem; they were new to the country, or rather 
the country was new to them, and this strange visitation raised 
the question as to whether or not this grasshopper business 
was a part of the country itself, and that the pests would re- 
main off and on indefinitely in the future. This thought, aside 
from their coming and the destruction the}' did in 1873, caused 
much concern and consternation. 

These grasshoppers had crossed the Missouri River and 
commenced foraging in the bordering Iowa counties, and 
devoured the crops as they went to a greater or less extent. 
In this season of 1873 some of the Osceola County settlers 
lost what crop they had by the grasshoppers, and others their 
crops were partially destroyed. Some saved a small garden 
patch by means of "shooing" them off and keeping the patch 
free from them, although the task was tedious and difficult. 

The early part of the season was extremely dry. No 
rain fell from the first of May to the middle of June. Grain 
did not grow much, but the grasshoppers did, and before the 
drouth ended, the crops were eaten and parched beyond all 
hope of recovery. About the middle of June, however, con- 
siderable rain fell, and outside of the before mentioned counties 
the prospect was generally favorable for good crops. The 
young grasshoppers commenced to get wings about the middle 
of June, and in a few days they began to rise and fly. The 
prospect seemed good for a speedy riddance from the pests. 
The perverse insects were waiting for an easterly wind, but 
the wind blew from the southwest for nearly three weeks, so 
they staid and visited, and eat and continued their ravages. 

Early in the spring of 1874 the eggs deposited the season 
before, commenced hatching, and the soil looked literally alive 
with insignificant looking insects, a quarter of an inch in length 
but of enormous eating qualities. As if by instinct, their first 
movements were toward the fields where tender shoots of 
grain were making their modest appearance. Sometimes the 




CHRIS W. HOLLE. 



142 H/STUKl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTl', IOWA. 

first intimation a farmer would have of what was going on 
would be from noticing along one side of his grain-field a nar- 
row strip where the grain was missing. At first, perhaps, he 
would attribute it to a "balk" in sowdng, but each day it grew 
wider and a closer examination would reveal the presence of 
young grasshoppers. 

The settlers of Osceola County in the spring of 1874 ^'^^ 
their sowing and planting under a feehng of apprehension. 
They were here and the work must go, even with the grass- 
hopper difficulty staring them in the face. Many got out of 
the country, owing to the grasshoppers of 1873, but they who 
remained had nought else to do but to work on. The grass- 
hopper ravages were the worst in 1874 "^"^ 1875, and from 
then on the pests degenerated in size and did less miscliief 
each year, but were still here until 1879 when they did but 
little damage and in 1880 the county felt itself well rid of 
them. 

All sorts of suggestions and devices were made with ref- 
erence to the destruction of grasshoppers during these years, 
and it was much of a topic of discussion how to get rid of 
them. Judge Oliver, in a communication to the Sioux City 
yoitrncil, said: "Farmers should not be discouraged. Crops, 
especially wheat and corn, should be put in as early as possi- 
ble, so as to get a start while the hoppers are small. Late 
potatoes and beans may be planted as late as is safe, so as not 
to get up until the hoppers are gone. Young trees and 
shrubs may be protected by a sack of thin cloth drawn over 
them and tied at the bottom. I desire to impress on farmers, 
where the eggs are unhatched, the absolute necessity of early 
seeding. One week's difference in the time of seeding may 
make all the differences between a good crop and a failure." 

The Sioux City 'Journal said: "The grasshopper de- 
posits its eggs at the roots of the grass in the latter part of 
summer or earl}' autumn. The eggs hatch out early in spring, 
and during the months of April, May and June, according as 
the season is early or late; they are wingless, their sole power 
of locomotion being the hop. 

"To destroy them, all that is needed is for each county, 
town or district to organize itself into a fire brigade, through- 
out the district where their eggs are known to be deposited. 

"This fire brigade shall see that the prairies are not 
burned over in the fall, and thus they will have the grass for 
the next spring and to be employed upon the pests while they 
are yet hoppers, the means of sure death. To apply it, let all 



HLSTORl OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 143 

agree upon a certain day, say in April or May or at any time 
when they are sure all the hoppers are hatched and none are 
yet winged. All being ready let every person, man, woman 
and boy, turn out with torches and simultaneously fire the 
whole prairie, and the work, if well done, will destroy the 
whole crop of grasshoppers for that year, and none will be 
left to "soar their gossamer wings" or lay eggs for another 
year." 

The Gazette of July lO, 1S74, had the following: 

" Grasshoppers are being successfully chased by many 
people in this county. There is usually a slight wind blowing, 
and people take ropes one or two hundred feet in length, and, 
stretching them out, walk or ride across the fields, the trailing 
rope disturbing the grain, which causes the 'hoppers' to fly 
up, and then the friendly wmd carries them off the field. 

"Mr. Dunton, who has been saving his wheat by the use 
of ropes, finds it useful to tie rags, newspapers, etc., to them 
on account of the greater rustle the rope makes as it trails 
over the grain with these attached." 

As the grasshopper years went on, the people themselves, 
scientific men and even the halls of legislation were discussing 
tiie important question of how to drive the "hoppers" from 
the country. Many and varied were the experiments. They 
tried smudging, burning the prairie, burning tar, digging 
ditches and every conceivable thing that the ingenuity of man 
could suggest, even to a huge trap in which to snare and 
catch them. Minnesota offered a bounty of a certain amount 
per bushel for them, and actually paid out quite a sum, which 
helped the people along, but the idea of delivering a crop of 
grasshoppers for a consideration, strikes us now as bordering 
on the ridiculous. These pests lasted about seven years, and 
the latter years of the seven they were much less troublesome 
than the first. The grasshopper business, too, had its humor- 
ous side, and there was much wit grew out of it, and the 
eastern papers made much fun of us, and not only that, but 
seriously charged us with being a country liable to such things, 
and hence unfit to live in. The county papers around in 
Northwestern Iowa would each claim that the other county 
was the worst. The Gazette said in one issue they were 
mostly in Dickinson County, and the Beacon gives this assertion 
the lie and says they are on the border of Osceola "peeking" 
over. Some agricultural house printed a card bearing the 
picture of a grasshopper sitting on a board fence gazing at a 
wheat field, and underneath the words: "In this s( wheat) by 



144 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 

and bye." The poet was also at work, and the following one 
of the numerous productions: 

CHARGE OF THE GRASSHOPPER BRIGADE. 

Half a league, half a league, 

Half a league onward, 

Right from the West they came, 

More than six hundred — ~ 

Out from forest and glade; 

" Charge for the corn ! " they said 

Then for the fields they made — 

More than six hundred. 

Fields to the right of them, 
Fields to the left of them ; 
Fields in front of them, 
Pillaged and plundered; 
Naught could their numbers tell, 
Down on the crop they fell. 
Nor left a stalk or shell— - 
More than six hundred. 

Flashed all their red legs bare. 
Flashed as they turned in air, 
Robbing the farmers there. 
Charging an orchard, while 
All the world wondered! 
Plunged in the smudge and smoke. 
Right through the corn they broke. 
Hopper and locust; 
Peeled they the stalks all bare, 
Shattered and sundered ; 
Then they went onward — but 
More than six hundred. 

Since these grasshopper days the old settlers can see what 
they missed by the following, recently pubhshed: 

" Some very important uses for grasshoppers have 
recently been discovered. There would seem to be no reason 
why they should not be applied to commercial advantage in 
the event of a plague this year. Not long ago four quarts of 
liquid, expressed from half a bushel of "hoppers" under a 
cheese press, were shipped in a glass from Spirit Lake, Iowa, 
to Professor William K. Kedzie, of the Kansas State Agri- 
cultural College. He made a complete analysis, and by 
distilling the juice with sulphuric acid obtained a colorless, 
limpid solution of formic acid. Now, this acid is very valua- 
ble, having a present market quotation of sixty cents an ounce. 
It is not only employed in medicine to a considerable extent, 
but it is also utilized in the laboratory to reduce salts of the 
noble metals, gold, silver and platinum. Hitherto it has 
always been extracted from red ants, but the possibility of 
getting it in large quantities from grasshoppers suggests a 




RESIDENCE OF ASA BOWERSOCK, OCHEYEDAn! 



146 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

method for employing these insects to an unlooked-for advan- 
tage. An interesting feature of the anal3'sis was the discovery 
of a certain amount of copper in the liquid. This metal has 
been found in the blood of other animals, particularly m that 
of the horseshoe crab, which always furnishes a trace of it. It 
is not suggested, however, that grasshoppers would assay a 
sufficient amount of copper to the ton to make it worth while 
to smelt them. 

"A while ago, Professor C. V. Ripley, United States 
entomologist, sent a bushel of grasshoppers, freshly caught 
and scalded, to Mr. Bonnet, a St. Louis caterer. The latter 
made a soup of them, which was pronounced perfectly deli- 
cious by many people who were afforded an opportunity of 
tasting it. It closely resembled bisque. Mr, Bonnet declared 
that he would gladly have it on his bill of fare every day if he 
could only obtain the insects. His method of preparing the 
dish, as described by himself, was to boil the hoppers over a 
brisk fire, seasoning them with salt, pepper and grated nut- 
meg, and occasionally stirring them. When sufficiently done 
they were pounded in a mortar with bread fried brown; then 
they were replaced in the saucepan and thickened to a broth, 
which was passed through a strainer before being served. 
Professor Riley treated some friends of his on one occasion 
to curr}' of grasshoppers and grasshopper croquettes without 
informing them as to the nature of the banquet, but an 
unlucky hind leg, discovered in one of the croquettes, revealed 
the secret." 

RELIEF. 

In January, 1873, there was organized at Sibley what they 
called the "Citizen Farmers' Club." This was before the 
"Grange" swept over the state, but both of these had the usual 
conditions of existence. They had their birth, maturity and 
death. The Citizen Farmers' Club was organized December 
7, 1872, and its object as declared by a resolution was for the 
purpose of mutual protection, assistance, encouragement, in- 
struction and social intercourse generally. Meetings were 
held every Friday afternoon at one o'clock, and no doubt many 
an ambitious orator, after the fame of Cicero, electrified and 
delighted the audience. This organization had quite a num- 
ber of meetings, but soon as the Grange was introduced into 
Osceola County, the Citizen Farmers' Club began to de- 
cline and last, in the language of the illustrious Cleveland, went 
into "Innocuous desuetude." Following thege and really as a 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 147 

basis upon which to secure relief for the people by reason of 
grasshoppers, the following announcement appeared in a Sep- 
tember number of the Gazette: 

" Homesteader's Protective Association. — There 
will be a meeting of the citizens of Osceola County, on the fair 
grounds, near Sibley, at i o'clock p. m., September 25, 1873, 
for the purpose of organizing a Homesteader's Protective As- 
sociation, the object and aim of which, will be to look after the 
interests of all true homesteaders. It is hoped that there will 
be a general turnout, that the organization may be made per- 
manent as long as it may be needed in this locality. In union 
there is strength. Many Homesteaders." 

The meeting was held according to announcement and 
the following is a report of it: 

homesteader's protective association, 

A large number of homesteaders were present at the 
meeting held at the Court house on Saturday last. D. L. 
Riley was chosen temporary Chairman, and F. M. Robinson 
temporary Secretary. Appropriate and earnest remarks were 
made by D. L. Riley and H. Jordan. A committee on reso- 
lutions, consisting of J. H. Douglass, H. Jordan and A. W. 
Clark, was appointed. Remarks were made by J. L. Robin- 
son, W. Rea, A. Halstead and Allen Garvin. 

The committee on resolutions reported a preamble and 
resolutions which were adopted. We have not space for 
them, but the gist of them is as follows: After setting forth 
as reasons for the forming of an association, the fact that many 
homesteaders, owing to the failure of their crops, would be 
compelled to leave the county for a time to obtain work in 
order to provide for their families; also that fears were enter- 
tained of their claims being unjustly contested, thereby caus- 
ing them expense vvhich they were unable to bear; "there- 
fore, be it 

" Resolved, That we, the undersigned, band ourselves to- 
gether for the purpose of protecting ourselves in our rights." 

A series of resolutions, fifteen in number, establishing the 
number of officers as one President, one Vice President from 
each range of townships, a Secretar}^ and Treasurer; appoint- 
ing a regular meeting on the tirst Saturday of each month, at 
I o'clock p. M., in the court house; establishing certain com- 
mittees, defining their duties; giving the terms of admission to 
the association; and making it necessary for the Treasurer to 
give a bond, etc, were adopted. The officers elected were 
as follows: 



148 IIISTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

President, D. L. Riley; First Vice President, C. W. 
Wyllys; Second Vice President, C. M. Bailey; Third Vice 
President, A. Garvin; Secretary, H.Jordan; Treasurer, J. L. 
Robinson. 

Any resident of Osceola County may become a member 
of this organization by subscribing his or her name to the 
preamble, resolutions and by-laws, and paying the sum of 
fifty cents. 

Any one wishing to examine the by-laws, etc., or to 
become a member of the association, can do so by calling at 
Jordan's office. 

This meeting was the foundation of a call for relief. 
Grasshoppers had devastated the county, and what crops there 
were had generally been ruined by this pest. On the start, 
the people were divided on this relief question, as many were 
opposed to it on the ground that it would give the county a 
bad reputation and retard settlement. Several men in Sibley 
offered to carry such families as were extremely needy, 
throuii'h the winter and furnish them the necessaries of life. 
Others, of those opposed to relief, thought the county had 
better make provision for its own, but the relief party was 
numerically the stronger, and finally its opposers had to fall 
into line. It is often the case when some sudden catastrophe 
has fallen upon a community, like the Chicago fire or the 
Johnstown flood, that the community itself is unable to take 
care of its unfortunates. Where hundreds of families are left 
homeless and thrown upon the charity of others, then, indeed, 
it is well to call upon other parts of the country for contribu- 
tions. But there is always more or less fraud connected with 
it, and it is apt to be the case that the modest people, but 
more deserving, get but little of the relief goods, while the 
"cheeky" ones get the most. It was a question then, and is 
now, whether that relief movement for Northwestern Iowa 
was advisable, but the people had it, organizations were 
effected to handle it, the state was solicited particularly, and 
the country generally, for supplies. Adjutant-General Baker 
was the state manager, and each county, and indeed each 
township liad its committees. 

At a meeting of the Sibley Grange, held the evening of 
the 7th of October, 1873, the following among the proceedings 
was had: 

"On motion, J. F. Glover, H. C. Hungerford and F. M. 
Robinson were authorized and instructed to prepare an ad- 
dress to the Master of the National Grange, and to the State 




RESIDENCE OF C. M. MATsVII.LE, OCHEYEDAN. 



150 JffSTORr OF OSCEOLA COVNTT. IOWA. 

and Subordinate Granges of Iowa, soliciting supplies of grain 
for seed, to be used by the farmers of Osceola County in the 
spring of 1874, who are and will be unable to purchase the 
same on account of the almost total failure of crops the past 
season." 

The Gazette notes one weeks receipts as follows: "Two 
boxes, three sacks, eight barrels of flour and two carloads of 
coal. General Baker reports nine more carloads of coal 
which will make seventeen in all. About $200 in cash have 
been received, which will be used to procure seed grain." 

The relief business soon fell into controversy and the 
newspapers were wrangling over the question. 

The Gazette of December 19, 1873, had the following 
article : 

"The Relief Question. — We notice that some of the 
papers in this part of the state are attributing all the destitu- 
tion to this county; some of them even intimate that all the 
supplies which come to this place are distributed to the people 
of this county. In order to correct this impression, we have 
obtained from J. L. Robinson, the secretary of the distributing 
committee, the following figures: 

"From the loth to the i6th, inclusive, of this month, only 
six davs, there has been filled sixty-seven orders for families 
of Lyon County, and thirty-four from Rock and Nobles 
Counties, Minnesota. Sixty-seven orders in six days from a 
county whose prominent men boasted in the Sioux City 
yonrnal that they could take care of their own poor, does not 
look much as if they were backing up their talk by deeds. It 
should be remembered that these orders are not for single arti- 
cles, but are from half a ton of coal to provisions and clothing 
for a whole family, and in many instances all combined. The 
above explanation will also apply to the Minnesota applicants. 

"We publish elsewhere a communication from Minnesota 
men in regard to the matter. 

" While we have not denied the need of aid in this county, 
we think it hardly fair that we should have to bear the whole 
odium, especially when we are giving out supplies to people 
whose own county was going to take care of them, and to in- 
habitants of another state where there is no more than ordi- 
nary destitution. No doubt some have obtained supplies who 
did not really need them, but we should hesitate to call all 
those thieves who get aid, and they certainly would be such if 
they had taken when not deserving. As we understand the 
matter, the supplies were sent for the needy homesteaders 



HISTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA.. 151 

of the northwestern part of the state, and all received at this 
place have been so distributed, except those furnished desti- 
tute people in Minnesota. The distributino- people are faith- 
ful careful men, and have done their work well; they may have 
been deceived, but we think that what complaint there may 
be, has come from those who have been refused when it was 
ascertained that they did not need. 

" We hope that the papers of these neighboring counties 
will at least give us credit for what we have done, and not tr}- 
to shove all their destitution off onto Osceola County, because 
it might injure their future prospects — especially in the face of 
the above mentioned facts." 

On November 14, 1873, the following appeal was issued: 

" An Appeal for Aid. — To Ihc People of the Slate of 
lozva : We, the undersigned, a committee appointed by the 
Homesteaders' Protective Association of Osceola Count}', an 
organization effected for the purpose of looking after the ex- 
treme and urgent necessities of the people of said county, 
caused by the almost total failure of the crops, do deem it just 
and proper that we let our sister counties, who are in affluent 
circumstances, have positive knowledge of the situation of a 
very large proportion of the citizens of this county. 

The most of the settlers came here last spring with little or 
no means, and depending entirely on their efforts during the 
summer to carry them through the winter; honestly and faith- 
fully have they toiled. A very large amount of ground was 
sown and planted in the spring — more than sufficient to raise 
subsistence for all for the coming winter, if it had not been for 
an extremely wet, backward spring, and the invasion of a vast 
army of grasshoppers, which caused almost a total failure of 
corn and small grain crops, so that they now find themselves 
on the eve of a long, cold winter, worse off than in the spring; 
without food of the plainest kind, and without means to pur- 
chase fuel to protect themselves and families during the com- 
ing winter. There are hundreds of families who have not 
sufficient clothing, and know not where the bread that they 
will eat ten days hence is coming from, or their fuel. These 
same people relying on their crops to carry them through the 
winter, have labored diligently through the summer, and 
thousands of acres of the prairie have been turned over ready 
for a crop next spring. 

" Now, therefore, be it known to the people of the State 
of Iowa, that without liberal assistance from some source, a 
very large portion of the citizens of this county will be without 



152 .HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

the necessaries to sustain life, and also fuel to keep them from 
freezing, and unless, from some source, seed is furnished to 
these people to sow and plant in the spring, many of the 
broad acres that are now ready will haye to lie idle the com- 
ing season. 

" We therefore appeal to the liberal, christian hearted peo- 
ple of this state for assistance in the shape of money, clothing, 
fuel and staple articles of food. 

" At the present writing there are at least two hundred 
famiHes in the county needing immediate assistance. 
" All consignments will be made to 

" C. M. Bailey, Agent H. P. A., 

" Sibley, Osceola Count}-, Iowa. 
"(For relief.) 

"Allen Garvin, 
"RoBT. Stamm, 
"W. W. Cramm, 
"J. L. RoniNsoN, 
"J. H. Douglass, 

'■'• Committee.'''' 
At a joint meeting of the Relief and Grange Committees, 
held Saturday, January 3, 1874, the following township com- 
mittees were appointed to canvass the several townships and 
ascertain the actual necessities of the inhabitants: 

Township 98, Range 42 — S. rianey, A. H. Miller and A. 
W. Mitchell. 

Township 98, Range 41 — C. Thompson, J. Mandeville 
and W. Rea. 

Township 98, Range 40 — N. D. Bowles, J. C. Moar and 
D. W. McCullam. 

Township 99, Range 42 — Wm. Anderson, F. Townsend 
and E. Huff. 

Township 99, Range 41 — W. S. Westcott, W. A. Spencer 
and Curtis. 

Township 99, Range 39-40 —C. Bo^d, W. A. Waldo 
and F. Thayer. 

Township 100, Range 42 — N. I. Wetmore, F. Reynolds 
and S. Cram. 

Township 100, Range 41 — Wm. Tliomas, P. Piesle}' 
and A. Sliapley. 

Township 100, Range 40 — W. W. Herron, Q. E. Cleve- 
land and J. F. Pfaff. 

Township 100, Range 39 — J. S. Flint, C. M. Richards 
and Ira Stevens. 




C. I. HILL. 



154 HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

The State Senate of 1873-74 appointed a committee to 
visit Northwest Iowa with reference to legislative action for 
the purpose of securing a loan with which to buy seed grain. 
December 3, 1874, ^eo. D. Perkins, Senator from Woodbury 
County, and Samuel Fairall, Senator from Johnson County, 
went to Sibley and held a conference with the people. They 
examined the Auditor's books in order to ascertain the financial 
condition of the county, and the feasibility of the count^^ issuing 
warrants for the purchase of grain, and ascertained that the 
county could not "obtain the supply needed from its own re- 
sources. These men expressed themselves as wishing that 
the entire General Assembly might be there and see for them- 
selves, and promised that they would make an appeal for its 
sympathy, and to its patriotism for action in the matter. A 
bill was presented by Mr. Perkins asking an appropriation of 
$105,000 for the purchase of seed grain and expenses of three 
commissioners to purchase and distribute; $5,000 out of the 
amount appropriated to be paid for expenses. Under this bill 
the money was to be in the nature of a loan, w^hich the parties 
were to pay back. After a discussion, a bill was agreed upon 
to donate, instead of loan, $50,000 to the northwest counties, 
and this bill passed both houses and became a law. Out of 
this donation Osceola County got about $8,000. 

The Legislative Committee, Messrs. Brown and Tasker, 
arrived in Sibey March 12, 1874, ^"^ "opened court." They 
were armed with blanks, requiring the settler to state where 
he lived, whether he was owner or renter, and how man}' 
acres he had broken ; also that he had no seed, no money to 
buy seed with, and that he would use the seed for sowing. 
They also required testimony where one's word was not con- 
sidered good, and admonished each and all that the peniten- 
tiary stared them in the face if they swore falsely. This 
Legislative tribunal did their work and went home. 

On March 27, 1874, '^f^cr the relief business had under- 
gone its usual trials and vexations, and charges of fraud had 
gone around, and considerable discontent and dissatisfaction, 
the following instructions were issued by General Baker to 
committee: 

" In the distribution of all supplies the utmost caution and 
care must be exercised, and only the really needy must be 
supplied, and they must be careful to save something m 
reserve for emergency or in case of sickness. 

"In order to conform to the above instructions the com- 



irrSTORl OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 155 

mittee will require each applicant for aid to take and subscribe 
the following oath : 

" Sibley, Iowa, i874" 

"I, do solemnly swear, so help me 

God, that I have not flour or other provisions sufficient to last 
my family one week, and that I have no means, on hand or 
at my command, to procure subsistence for my family. 



Soon after this, which was in March, 1874, ^^*^ relief 
business was ended. 

On March 12, 1874, the state committee issued the 
following: 

Dks Moines, March 12, 1874. 

^'•lo the Public : The undersigned would state for the 
information of all concerned, that all supplies in our possession 
for Northwestern settlers, will be distributed by April ist, 
1873. There may be a small amount left on hand at that date 
but hardly worth consideration. The settlers and committees 
must now act most cautiously and govern themselves in ac- 
cordance with the existing condition of supplies. Any 
Grange or other benevolent people who have anything to for- 
ward should do so at once. All our advantages on railroad 
lines will probably cease by the date above designated. And 
here in conclusion, we wish to thank the railroads, express 
companies and the telegi*aph companies for all the great favors 
the}' have done to the Northwestern settlers, in forwarding 
the generous donations of our benevolent people. 

N. B. Baker. 

J. D. Whitman, 

R. R. Harbour, 

D. W. Prindle, 

State Grauiyc Couwuttec. 

March 23, 1873, after an extended announcement, the 
people gathered in the courthouse at Sibley, crowding the 
house to its utmost capacity, to listen to General Baker and 
others, and to have sort of a speaking love feast over the 
winding up of the relief department. General Baker told 
them that he had done what he could for the people, that the 
supplies would soon end and that they were now thrown upon 
their own resources and must view it in that light and act ac- 
cordingly. Messrs. Jordan, Glover and Riley also spoke to 
the people, and with three cheers and tigers for Baker the 
meeting dispersed. Thus ended the great relief campaign of 
1873 and 1874. 



CHAPTER XVIIL 

Soon after the Huff residence was established Mr. T. J. 
Shaw put up a store building and put in a stock of goods; the 
buildinor on the same section with Huff. Mr. Shaw afterwards 
filed on a part of Section 14, in Oilman, and in 1872, put up 
a store building in the town of St. Oilman (now Ashton) and 
moved his stock there. Shaw's store was the first store in 
the county, and in it in 1871, the old settlers used to congre- 
gate, and if we had a record of all their doings, and the stories 
there told, our readers would be highly entertained. Every 
blizzard would find about so many who happened to be at the 
store, and unable to get home. In one of the blizzards there 
were several of the old settlers caught there, among whom 
were Dr. Ourney, August and C. Thompson, W. A. Spencer 
and others. They took their horses in the store except one 
of them, and this they put into the railroad tank near by. 
This was not in the days of prohibition, and the boys had 
plenty of the ardent, and hence quite a jollitication. One of 
them was preparing a pan of biscuits for baking while the 
others were watching the operation, when Shaw declared that 
his mother always striped biscuits when she made them, and 
these must conform to the parental custom, upon which he 
brought his foot down on the soft dough, giving them the 
required stamp, when they were pronounced ready for the 
oven, and in they went. When the settler got to Shaw's 
store he generall}' tarried awhile, talked over the news of the 
day, smoked a clay pipe and sat around on the barrel heads, 
and of the old settlers there were several there at all times 
during the day and evening. In April, 1871, Joseph Reagan 
with Uriah Cook, Jacob Henshaw and some others who set- 
tled in Lyon County, came to Osceola County from Madison 
Countv, Iowa. They went to the " Huff " house and through 
the services of our first settler secured claims. Mr. Reagan 
filed on a part of Section 20, Township 98, Range 42, now 
Oilman Township, and Uriah Cook filed on the same section 
Huff was on. Mr. Reagan still lives in the county, is one of 
the prominent men in Ashton and its postmaster. Mr. Cook 
now lives in Montana. 

Reagan and party arrived at Huff's on the 8th day of 







RESIDENCE OF C. A. TATUINI, OCHEYEDAN. 



158 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTl\ IOWA. 

April, 1871. Their outfit consisted of five wagons, twelve 
horses and mules and six head of cattle. Each of the wagons 
had occupants sleeping in them on the night of the 8th, and 
early on the morning of the 9th a terrible blizzard set in, and 
these wagon sleepers were soon covered with snow and crawled 
out and into a house. The next day they took the wagons 
and formed a half circle of them at the south side of the house, 
making a corral, in which they put their horses and then 
tied the cattle to the wagons on the outside. This storm 
lasted two days, and the company, consisting of about twenty 
men, women and children, filled the house, and at night it 
taxed the ingenuity of all to arrange the packing. Along with 
the inmates already named, there were three dogs and forty 
chickens, so that the time was not passed in Quaker silence, 
and everybody was in everybody's way, though all were jolly. 
The first night all were packed around systematically. Huff 
and his wife were placed in the northeast corner, then came 
Henshaw and his family, then the chickens and the rest of the 
crowd as they could be accommodated. The end where the 
horses were was considered unsafe, as the pressure against the 
boards was liable to break them in, so that Reagan, C. M. 
Brooks and Uriah Cook were assigned to that part of the 
shack to counteract the pressure from the outside. 

The morning of the third day was pleasant, and each went 
their way to their separate claims. C. W. Freeman came to 
Gilman township in June, 1872, and settled on the northeast 
quarter of Section 8. He came from Humboldt County and 
with him came F. E. Cook, J. W. Carson and Will Smith. 
These four took Section 8. Mr. Carson died in January, T883, 
and his popularity and his large circle of friends in the county 
justifies a reproduction of the following from January 24, 1883, 
number of the Osceola County I^cviczv, then published at 
Ashton : 

"IN MEMORIAM. 

"James W. Carson was born at Batavia, Genesee County, 
New York, February 16, 1S33. When about thirteen years 
old his parents, leaving their eastern home, became pioneers 
in the then Territory of Wisconsin. A wonderful tide of 
immigration was pouring into the newer states and the terri- 
tories bordering the Mississippi, and two years later, when 
Mr. Boyd Carson, the father of the subject of this sketch, 
removed to West Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin had be- 
come a state. The father was one of the hardy pioneers of 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 159 

the olden time, who, without the help of railways and modern 
conveniences of travel, made the lonc^ and tiresome journey to 
the frontier lands, and laid the foundations for prosperous 
communities and states. He is described as a man of sterling 
integrity and fine Christian character, and James W., the son, 
inherited from his father a high regard for what was true and 
pure in religious life. James, or " Kit," as he was popularly 
called by settlers old and new in this county, of which he was 
one of the first pioneers, grew to man's estate and was indus- 
triously employed in trade or farming, but the agitation of the 
slaver}^ question and the disloyalty of the South, leading to 
the civil war, he early in the rebellion enlisted in the Second 
Wisconsin cavalry, and earned the merit of being a good sol- 
dier, but incurred hardships and injuries which laid the foun- 
dation of the disease which has taken him away, to the grief 
of his family, the sorrow of his friends, and the loss of the 
community. After the war, and soon after his marriage, he 
removed to Humboldt County, this state, where he remained 
two years. In 1871 he, in compan}^ with F. E. Cook and C. 
W. Freeman, removed to this county and located homesteads 
in Gilman Township. During his twelve years residence in 
this county he formed a wide acquaintance. The hold he had 
on the hearts of the settlers was w^ell attested by the crowd 
that turned out to his funeral on the bitter cold Wednesday of 
this week. People gathered in from the three counties of 
Osceola, O'Brien and Lyon — one family driving fully ten 
miles across the country. Sheldon sent a large delegation 
and quite a number of old soldiers, bringing choice flowers and 
wreaths for the grave. Kind neighbors and comrades of 
both Sheldon and Sibley army posts served as watchers from 
the time — earl}^ Tuesday morning — that his remains reached 
Ashton from Minneapolis, where he died early on Monday — 
the immediate cause of his death being his inability to with- 
stand the shock to his S3'stem, induced by an operation per- 
formed by surgeons at a hospital in Minneapolis, removing a 
large and bony-like tumor under the arm in the left side, 
which had developed until it reached the region of the heart-" 
In 187 1, Nick Booi-, along with John Streit and William 
Shultz, landed in Gilman Township. Thev came from Wis- 
consin, and drove through with a team. Nick filed on the 
southeast quarter of Section 4, Township 98, Range 42, 
Streit on the northeast quarter of same section, and Schultz 
on the northeast quarter of Section 18. Mr. Schultz lives at 
Sheldon, and Boor and Streit still live in Gilman Township. 



160 HISrORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

C. C. Osgood came in 1872, and settled in Oilman Town- 
ship on the southwest quarter of Section 30. Mr. Osgood 
still lives on the same place, has weathered all the difficulties, 
and is a successful farmer. 

Mr. WilHam Foster settled in Oilman Township in 1872, 
on a part of Section 14. Mr. Foster died a few years ago, 
and his widow with her sons still live on the old homestead. 

Ephraim Miller, in 1871, located on the southwest 
quarter of Section 26, Oilman Township; still owns the land, 
and still resides in the township on land he has since pur- 
chased. 

Of these 1871 and 1872 settlers in Oilman Township but 
few remain in the township now. As far as we can learn 
they are Joseph Reagan, Nick Boor, John Streit, Ephraim 
Miller, C. C. Osgood and the Foster boys. 

In the spring of 1873, J. E. Townsend, along with his 
brother Oeorge, came to Oilman Township from Michigan. 
Oeorge returned soon after and J. E. filed on the north 
half of the northwest quarter of Section 8, upon wliich he 
still lives with his family and has other land afterwards pur- 
chased. J. E. Townsend is now County Treasurer. This 
same year, 1873, also, Fred Poschack came from Wisconsin 
and filed on a part of Section 6, upon which he still resides. 
Other parties living in this township came in the years follow- 
ing these first settlements, and quite a number are renters. 
Among others of the farming people in Oilman Township, 
Mrs. John Neff resides on Section i ; also on the same Section 
John Rabe. M. A. Schend was an old settler in Lyon County 
and now lives on Section 2 in Oilman Township. On Section 
2 also Mr. Frank Walrich and John Barbien. On Section 3 
John Thorn; on Section 4 Joseph Dries, Anthony Oeiver and 
also Mr. Streit; on Section 5 Jacob Johannes; on Section 6 
Fred Poschack, Matt Spartz, John Seivert, B. Sturber and B. 
F. Pettingell. Mr. Pettinijell is a Yankee from Massachu- 
setts. Warren Robbins is on Section 7; Henry Shaa, Joseph 
Ehlen, besides J. E. Townsend on Section 8. Of still other 
residents of the county Joseph Dries, Jr., is on Section 9; also 
Matt Seivert and William Fuger; R. Linzen, Jacob Leinen, 
William Fuger on Section 10, Peter Kappes on Section 11; 
Thomas Cox and Charles Winters on Section 12. The town 
of Ashton is on Section 15 in this township and on Section 18 
we find Henry Arends, W. Popkes, H. Lenitzens, and Mr. 
DeOroat. On Section 20 lives Rev. Mr. Nolte, a Quaker 
preacher; also C. W. Conner. Mr. Conner is a prominent 




A. W. McCALLUM. 



162 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNrt\ IOWA. 

citizen and was a member of the County Board of Supervisors. 
George Jamison also lives on Section 20. " Mr. John Jackley 
and Isaac Smalley are on Section 21 and B. H. Lyman and 
J. C. Wilmarth on Section 22. Wm. Keith and Wm. Craig 
live on Section 23; Nick Seivert, Nick Leinen and Phillip 
Grats on Section 24; on Section 27 lives Mr. Charles Lingle- 
man and C. Groendyke; Mr. Ruben Heritage and James 
Sturgeon on Section 29, and on Section 30 is the old Isehn 
place improved by these boys John and Harry who came from 
New York with money but made a failure in business. Nels 
Porter and S. Laber are on Section 32 and C. Beck, Charles 
Huntsley and James Bunce on Section 34, with R. J. Stemm 
on Section 35. Gilman Township is one of the best and finest 
improved townships in the county and is well settled. 

Referring again to Goewey Township, quite a number 
still live in the county who were among its earlier settlers. 
In May, 1871, George Perry, along with his brother John and 
W. A. Spencer, landed here, having drove through from Wis- 
consin. George settled on a part of Section 10, John on a 
part of 14, and W. A. Spencer on Section 24. T. E. Perry, 
father of John and George, came in the fall of 1871, and re- 
sided here until he died, July 14, 1890. The boys used their 
wagon covers and wagons for awhile as a habitation until they 
got something built for a house. Their first load of lumber 
was hauled from Windom, Minn., and the two Perrys, along 
with Spencer, went after it. On the road they overtook a 
traveler on foot who accepted an invitation to ride. When 
they got to Worthington, which was then starting as a town 
with only a few shacks, the traveler got a quart of whisky, 
and brought it around to treat the rest of them. Spencer not 
being a drinking man, declined to take any, and the fellow 
soon went away by himself, and about as the boys were start- 
ing on, came around again drunk as a lord. Pointing to 
Spencer he said, if that man had drank his share I wouldn't 
be tight, raising a question in moral philosophy whether or 
not after all Spencer was to blame for the man's drunken- 
ness. After this first lumber hauled from Windom, they aft- 
erwards hauled from Cherokee. On one of George Perry's 
trips he drove through the Orange City settlement, which 
was composed mostly of Hollanders, and with these people 
wooden shoes being principal commodity, they were well 
stocked and the shoes were conspicuously displayed. George 
Perry bought a pair for himself and also a pair for his wife, 
more for the novelty of it than anything else. His wife saw 



HISTOUr OF OSCEOLA COUNTl', IOWA. \Q)^ 

him coming home and as usual walked out about a mile to 
meet him. Georj^e made a little speech to her about the 
elegant foot gear he had seen, and thinking she needed a pair, 
he had invested for her, and presented to her the pair of 
wooden shoes. After that Mrs. Perry let her liege lord reach 
the house before she greeted him. She preferred to take her 
surprises in the way of presents at home. 

Clark Perry, another brother, came in the fall of 187 1, 
and settled on the southwest quarter of Section 10 and still 
lives on the original claim. 

John Perry now lives on the claim originally taken by 
his father, and George now lives in Sibley. 

W. A. Spencer resides in Sioux City; he has a son, 
however, C. A. Spencer, now residing in Goewey Township 
on Section 22. 

In June, 1S72, T. M. Spencer, a brother of W. A., came 
from. Wisconsin and took the northeast quarter of Section 23. 
He has lived in the county since, except one year during the 
grasshopper period he worked in Cherokee. Mr. Spencer 
now lives in Ocheyedan; his sons, Charles A. and E. E., live 
in the same town, while another son, O., hves in Sibley. 

G. L. Van Eaton also settled in this township in 1872, 
and is still the owner- of the land upon which he settled. He 
is now in the lumber business at Little Rock. John Gray, 
another settler of 1872, lives at Ashton. Among other of the 
1872 settlers now living in this township are George Bar- 
rager, Louis Folsom. James Ford, E. Ellis, Robert Edwards. 
George Spaulding, who still resides in the township, came in 
1871, and also the same year James Hollands. Mr. Hollands 
novv resides in Sibley. W. L. Daggett, now living on Section 
36, also came in 1872. Mr. E. Elling and J. C. Inman, who, 
we think, are on Section 34, are also early settlers. Mrs. 
Clarinda Baker, who is also an early settler, resides on Section 
30. Her husband was gored to death by a bull several years 
ago. In addition to those mentioned, among the early settlers 
in this township we find D. G. Crippen, Henry Hoffman. 
Alexander Gilkerson, George Haskins, Frank Finley, Eugene 
Guertin, L. Daggett, N. Madison, John Freeman, P. F.Jones — 
Mr. Jones was one of the early settlers of 1872 — Nelse Christ- 
ensen, W. H. Winney, P. O. Gillis, A. Bronson, John St. 
Clair, John Christensen, Henry Pollman, P. N. Folkers, D. 
Irish. T. Stephens, Mr. Brandt, the Johannes brothers, Walter 
Phihps, W. P. Reeves, I. Brandt, C. Crumb, P. Foley. 

Peter and Andrew Sherbonda, who are still living in the 



164 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

towiivship on Section 6. settled there in 1S72. B. F. Curtis, 
who settled on Section 34 in 1872, now resides in Sioux City. 
Charles Bangert, living on Section 19, is at present one of the 
County Board of Supervisors. W. R. Foster lives, we think, 
on Section 20, and Lent on Section 21. In referring to these 
present residents, there will no doubt be some omissions, as 
the writer has gathered several townships from inquiry. 

COURTS. 

There was in 1872 a District Court, and also a Circuit 
Court, both being courts of record. Their jurisdiction was 
about the same, except that the District Court had exclusive 
criminal jurisdiction, and the Circuit Court had exclusive pro- 
bate jurisdiction. Both districts comprised several counties, 
of which Osceola was one. 

The first term of the Circuit Court was held in Osceola 
County in 1873, with Hon. Addison Oliver presiding. The 
first case on the calendar seems to have been Jacob Franz & 
Co. vs. F. L. Ward, and the case was continued. John IT. 
Douglass was then Sheriff and John F. Glover, Clerk. The 
following attorneys seem to have figured into the business of 
that term: H. Jordan, J. H. Swan and James T. Barclay. 

The record does not show any litigated cases, owing, per- 
haps, to the fact that the attorneys were not numerous enough. 
Everybody seemed to get judgment in what cases there were. 
The next term of this Court was held in December and in 
1884 the State Legislature abolished the Circuit Court, leav- 
ing the District Court as the only Court of Record. 

The first term of the District Court, Hon. Henry Ford 
presiding, was held at Sibley in July, 1872. The record makes 
mention of the fact that it was the first term of any Court of 
Record held in the count}'. The officers were: Judge, 
Henry Ford; District Attorney, C. H. Lewis; Clerk, C. M. 
Brooks; Sheriff, Frank Stiles. 

The record states that C. I. Hill, C. W. Blackmer, H. 
Jordan and J. T. Barclay were present as members of the 
Sibley bar, and Sioux City attorneys as follows: L. Wynn, 
W. L.Joy, O. C. Treadway, H. B. Wilson and J. H. Swan. 
The first case on the calendar was L. F. Diefendorf vs. J. H. 
Winspear and others. The action was to restrain Winspear, 
Frank Stiles and others from building school houses. The 
injunction was modified, and in September following, in vaca- 
tion, Diefendorf dismissed the action, and the school houses, 
under the direction of Winspear, Stiles and others, went on in 




J. E. TATUM. 



166 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

construction. This term of court lasted two days and consisted 
principally of a few judgments, there being no criminal cases 
and no jury, either grand or petit. 

The next term of the District Court was held in April, 
1873. The same officers were present, except that John H. 
Douglass was Sheriff and John F. Glover Clerk. District 
Attorney C. H. Lewis stated to the court that there was an 
irregularity in drawing the grand jury, and asked that the 
precept be set aside, which was done, and the court then 
ordered a new precept to issue, which was issued, and the 
following were the first grand jurors of the county: H. G. 
Doolittle, B. A. Dean, J. L. Robinson, E. Morrison, J. I. 
Halstead, A. M. Culver, N. Thompson, J. Slecht, H. Babcock, 
J. W. Kerr, T. J. Cutshall, Charles Mandeville, R. F. Kinne, 
D. L. Riley and O. Dunton. Frank Stiles and F. M. Robin- 
son were held to answer to the grand jury from a preliminary 
examination before a justice, and upon inquiry to these parties 
as to challenge. Stiles challenged Riley and Dunton. H. G. 
Doolittle was chosen as foreman, and the jury was instructed 
and charged by the court. The record then says, after being 
charged by the court they retired to consider upon their duties. 
There is no further record as to this grand jury, or the case 
against Robinson and Stiles, so that we are left to conclude 
that the grand jury are still out considering their duties, and 
Robinson and Stiles are still waiting in doubtful apprehension 
of an indictment. 

The first civil case tried in this court was H. Jordan vs. 
J. H. Winspear, and the nature of the case is not disclosed. 
A jury was had, which was the first petit jury in the count}-, 
and was composed of the following named members: J. Mc- 
Kinney, H. Reeves, C. W. Wyllys, Thomas B. Jackson, W. 
H. Morrison, S. W. Lang, G. R. Helmoly, A. Buchman, C. 
Anderson, C. T. Torey, Joseph Kappes and George Taylor. 
Jordan was defeated in his suit, and retired at an expense of 
$13.40. Several individual judgments were rendered, and 
Osceola caught it to the tune of $14,851.12 from several 
different parlies, altogether aggregating that amount. 

It is not necessary to follow the record of these courts 
further; the onl}' desire is to show something connected with 
their first terms. We might add, however, that the first per- 
son naturalized in the county, was John R. Robertson by Judge 
Ford, and the first estate to be probated was that of Patrick 
Baker, deceased. 

We also omitted to state that the only litigated case in 



HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 167 

the first term of the Circuit Court was that of G. Toun vs. 
Sioux City and St. Paul Raih'oad Company, in which case 
J. T. Barclay was attorney for plaintiff and J. H. Swan for 
defendant. The jury was as follows: H. L. Baker, C. 
Manderville, J. W. Collman, E. E. Headley, S. Cram, C. W. 
Wyllys, Daniel Busbu, Frances F. White, Thomas B. Jackson, 
George Fablinger, H. F. Manderville, Lewis Cole. Barclay 
carried off the honors of the victory, and obtained a verdict 
for seventy-five dollars and costs at the first trial; but the 
clever and tenacious Swan, who knows but little of the word 
defeat, appealed the case to the Supreme Court. It is said 
that when a lawyer gets beaten in a case he either appeals, or 
goes down to the tavern and swears at the court, and in this 
case Swan appealed. 

We have now only a District Court, comprising Wood- 
bury, Sioux, Lyon, Osceola, Plymouth, Monona, O'Brien, 
Cherokee and Harrison Counties. Within this Judicial District 
are four Judges, who agree among themselves as to the time 
and place each shall hold. The Judges are: George W. 
Wakefield, of Sioux City; Scott M. Ladd, of Sheldon; Frank 
R. Gaynor, of Le Mars, and A. Van Wagenen, of Rock 
Rapids. These Judges, all of them being members of dif- 
ferent political parties, are men of unquestioned integrity, of 
ability, learned in the law, and preside with a desire to hold 
the scales in equipose and do justice to all. Will Thomas is 
Clerk of Court in Osceola. 

JUSTICES. 

Justices' courts were in running operation before there 
was held a court of record. The office of Justice of the Peacfe, 
says Judge Conklin, is of somewhat remote origin, having 
been first institiited in England, it is said, as early as the time 
of William the Conqueror. The oflfice was introduced into 
this country by our forefathers on their first settlement here, 
so that the people are accustomed to these courts and have 
them. 

At the 4th of July meeting in 1871 nominations were 
made for Justices of the Peace. 

The first 3'ear of the count}' organization the Justices were 
as follows: H. L. Clapsaddle, O. Dunton, Frank Stiles, D. F. 
Curtiss and J. H. Winspear. 

Since then others have been elected and retired, and the 
Justices of the county in 1S92 are as follows: 



168 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Holman — D. L. McCausland and E. Walton. 

Ocheyedan — A. E. Smith and R. J. O. McGowan. 

Harrison — Charles Mietke and E. L. Krukcnberg. 

Baker — Dirk Frey. 

Wilson— R. S. Eakin. 

Fairview — Thomas Jackson. 

Gilman — Joseph W. Reagan. 

Horton — W. R. Boling. 

Goewey — W. J. Reeves. 

Other District Court officers are, John F. Stamm, Sheriff, 
and T. P. May, Deputy. 

There are often many amusing things occur in justice 
courts, and in the early days of Osceola County there were 
many here, but the records have not preserved them, and the 
lawyers who still survive them are reticent, while others who 
were in practice here then, have gone and some have died. 
Among the justices at an early day was W. R. Boling in 
Horton Township — in fact, he is now justice. An action was 

brought before him of ejectment, and was between Wass- 

mann and G. B. Garvy. McCallum brought the suit for 
Wassmann, the trial was set for January 2 at nine o'clock. 
McCallum, the Sheriff and his deputy, Webb, with McCausland, 
started over from Sibley, starting at three o'clock in the morn- 
ing, and at daylight the thermometer was twenty-six degrees 
below zero; but they were going to a law-suit, and the stimulus 
of the coming contest kept them warm — for we wouldn't for a 
moment intimate that anything else contributed to their com- 
fort. P. R. Bailey, of Sheldon, was to be McCallum's 
opponent, but the distance to go and the early hour was too 
much for him, so he staid at home. The parties were all there 
in season, and a jury was called, whose qualifications were 
inquired into, and Mc found that all of them were quite satis- 
factory. The trial commenced and proceeded, the testimony 
was in and McCallum was making his argument. Just as Mc 
commenced. Jack Blair and A. V. Randall arrived, and Blair, 
seeing a chance for a little fun, went on top of the one-story 
building, laid a sack over the stove-pipe, sticking up through 
the roof, and sat down on it. The stove had just been 
replenished wdth soft coal, and in an instant the room was filled 
with black, sulphurous smoke, but Mc kept on until Webb 
went to shaking the stove-pipe to make it draw, when about 
twenty links of pipe, filled with soot, came suddenly down on 
the heads of the jurors, the litigants, the court and the counsel, 
when all beat a hast}^ retreat out of doors, and there was such 




RESIDENCE OF M. A. TATUM, OCHEYEDAN. 



170 HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, lOU'A.^ 

a similarity in appearance, that it was hard to tell one from 
the other. They found out, however, what the trouble was, 
re-adjusted things and went at it again, but Blair's escape 
saved him from a tine for contempt. The case lasted all night, 
and at six o'clock the next morning, the jury were led off 
to a school house by Sheriff Lent for the purpose of delibera- 
tion, and were out some time before they returned, and when 
they did their verdict was for Wassmann. The court room 
for the purposes of the trial was Seymour Coyour's shack, and 
while the jury were out McCallum, Randall, McCausland and 
Webb "turned in," as the sailors call it, that is all four of them 
went to bed together, and while they were snoozing quietly, 
Blair appeared again and laid a hog's head carefully between 
Randall's head and McCallum's, which woke Mc up, and 
himself and what was left of the hog were staring at each 
other, for their countenances were in close proximity. The 
trial ended with a judgment for Wassmann, and then followed 
an execution to collect the costs. There was nothing in sight 
to levy on but some potatoes, and these were hardly in sight, 
for they were buried in a pit under ground. The Sheriff, 
however, armed with the usual process, went out to Garvy's 
place, took a man with him, and spent nearly a day digging 
into the frozen ground and finally into the pit, but the potatoes 
were missing. Upon a closer examination there was found to 
be another hole on the other side of the pit from where the 
Sheriff had excavated, where the debtor had stole a march on 
the expected execution, and removed his potatoes to other 
quarters. 

Since writing the above, A. V. Randall denies the four 
in a bed, and the pig's head story so far as he was concerned, 
and states that he was a member of the jury. 

In 1873 Charles Brannock who lived near the Ocheyedan 
and who was like most of the settlers, hard up for something 
to eat, had caught some kind of an animal, probably a musk- 
rat and after skinning it was cooking the carcass on a tire 
out of doors. In an unfortunate moment the prairie grass 
caught fire, and soon the fire was spreading in every direction. 
Brannock was arrested and bound over. He was allowed 
to remain at home to get bail, but the next day the fury of the 
people demanded his incarceration and Sheriff Douglass was 
ordered out with the necessary papers. In order that the 
arrest should be a complete success, quite an army volunteered 
to go along and did on horseback, armed with Winchesters, so 
that their going presented quite a body of cavalry and they 



HfSTORY OF OSCEOLA COVNTl', IOWA. 171 

soon reached Brannock's cabin and the terrified fellow was 
ordered to surrender which he did. He asked leave, how- 
ever, to go inside and change his clothes and once in, crawled 
out of a back window and by cautiously creeping at first and 
getting in the grass he made his escape. There were some 
who understood his condition of poverty and his peaceful and 
law-abiding disposition and who felt that while the act was a 
violation of the law, still it was not malicious nor intended; 
these wanted him to get away and we suspect that Douglass 
was one of them. They waited for his return in changed suit, 
and when sufficient time had elapsed, an investigation was 
made and it was found that he had escaped. Some one, a 
friend to Brannock, said that he just saw him going over the 
hill towards the south, and away went the cavalry flying after 
him; when that hill was reached the friend said he saw him 
going over the next one, and on went the horsemen in furious 
following, and thus for several miles they were led, and this 
with searching took up about the whole day. In the mean 
time Brannock had started north while the searchers were 
still searching he was safe in Minnesota, as only a few miles 
travel was required to get there. 

D. D. McCallum's first case was before a Justice of 
marked morality, who was extremely harsh with criminals. 
His weakness was his veneration for veterans of the late war, 
all of whom he esteemed as unrewarded heroes. McCallum 
had fought four years. His client was a thief. " The only 
thing I can do tor you," said McCallum, after having gained 
the man's confidence, "is to implore the mercy of the court. 
When you get on the stand tell the whole truth." 

The man had stolen a cow, killed it, sold the hide and 
taken the carcass home to his family, which was really suffer- 
ing for the necessaries of life. The prosecution, with a long 
line of witnesses, had made a perfect case, and the brow of 
the Justice was draped in ominous frowns when the the pris- 
oner was called. The latter did as directed by his attorney, 
concealing nothing — from the almost starving condition of his 
wife and family to the dressing of the stolen beef. 

" Now, your honor," said McCallum," the defense has no 
witnesses. My client is guilt}'. He has hidden nothing from 
this court. It is the first lime he has ever transgressed the 
law. He was inspired to do wrong by that instinct we even 
admire in brutes." 

Then, turning to the prisoner as if the fact had nearl}- 
escaped him, McCallum said: 



172 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

" By the way, you were a soldier in the late war, were 
you not ?" 

« Yes, sir." 

" Weren't you at Gettysburg ? " 

"Yes, sir." 

"So was I. And you were in other historic battles, fight- 
ing for your country, while your wife and family suffered at 
home ?" 

"Yes, sir." 

The prosecution at this point saw the way the case was 
drifting, and attempted to ridicule the "old soldier defense," 
as the prosecuting attorney named it. 

The effect upon the old Justice was to arouse all his loy- 
alty and indignation. 

"Enough of this," said he, bringing his hand down on 
the desk in front of him with a thundering thud. "No soldier, 
no man who shed his best blood for his country, not even if he 
be a criminal, can be reviled in my presence. The prisoner 
is discharged. And, sir, when you are suffering for the nec- 
essaries of life again, come to me." 

The joke was too good to keep. McCallum one day 
told him the old soldier was an ex-Confederate; but never 
again did McCallum practice in that court. 

COUNTY OFFICERS 1 87 2. 

Recorder D. L. McCausland. 

Treasurer A. M. Culver. 

Sheriff Frank Stiles. 

Surveyor M. J. Campbell. 

Superintendent of Schools Delily Stiles. 

Auditor F. M. Robinson. 

Clerk of Court C. M. Brooks. 

( J. H. Winspear. 
Supervisors -; Geo. Spaulding. 

( H. R. Fenton. 

1873. _ 

Recorder D. L. McCausland. 

Treasurer A. M. Culver. 

Sheriff J. H. Douglass. 

Surveyor M. J. Campbell. 

Superintendent of Schools Delily Stiles. 

Auditor F. M. Robinson. 

Clerk of Court J. F. Glover. 



) 







RESIDENCE OF D. D. McCALLUM, SIBLEY. 



174 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUN'TT, IOWA. 

Coroner J. M. Jenkins, 

( D. L. Riley. 
Supervisors, until April 21 -^ H. R. Fenton. 

( Geo. Spaulding. 

\ D. L. Riley. 
Supervisors, after April 21 I P. Dunton. 

( B. F. Mundorf. 

1874. 

This year there was no change in the offices of Recorder, 
Sheriff, Surveyor and Coroner. The other officers were as 
follows : 

Auditor W. M. Moore. 

Treasurer S. A. Wright. 

Superintendent of Schools J. M. Jenkins. 

A change of one in the Board of Supervisors — T. E. 
Perry in place of B. F, Mundorf. 

1875- 

The officers of preceding year remained the same, except 
County Surveyor, H. G. Doolittle, and A. H. Brown, member 
of Board, in place of T. E. Perry. 

1876. 

This year the count}' officers were as follows: 

Recorder D. L. McCausland. 

Treasurer . Levi Shell. 

Sheriff Jofin Douglass. 

Surveyor H. -G. Doolittle. 

Superintendent of Schools C. L. Gurney. 

Auditor W. M. Moore. 

Clerk of Court J. F. Glover. 

Coroner Wm. R. Lawrence. 

( D. L. Riley. 
Supervisors I O. Dunton, Ch'n. 

( A. H. Brown. 

1877. 

The above officers remained the same, except the follow- 
ing changes: 

Clerk of Court W.J. Miller. 

Recorder E. Huff. 

Supervisor — C. W. Wyllys in place of O. Dunton. 



HISTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 175 

1878. 

County officers were as follows: 

Recorder E. Huff. 

Treasurer . Henry C. Hungerford. 

Sheriff John H. Douglass. 

Surveyor M. J. Campbell. 

Superintendent of Schools .. Mrs. W. L. Parker. 

Auditor W. M. Moore. 

Clerk of Court W.J.Miller. 

Coroner W. R. Lawrence. 

( D. L. Riley. 
Supervisors I Henry. C. Allen. 

( C. W. Wyllys. 

1879. 

The officers of 1878 remain the same, except the follow- 
ing change: 

Supervisor — H. L. Emmert in place of D. L. Riley. 

1880. 

The only changes in county officers for this year were, 
Wm. R. Lawrence, Superintendent of Schools, in place of C. L. 
Gurney; W. H. Barkhuff, Coroner, in place of Lawrence, and 
Geo. S. Downend, Supervisor, in place of 

i88t. 

The county officers of 1881 stood as follows: 

Recorder __. Mrs. C. I. Hill. 

Treasurer H. C. Hungerford. 

Sheriff _ John H. Douglass. 

Surveyor M. J. Campbell. 

Superintendent of Schools Wm. R. Lawrence. 

Auditor W. M. Moore. 

Clerk of Court John S. Davison. 

f H. C. Allen. 

I Robert Stamm. 
Supervisors . -\ Nicholas Boor. 

[ William Mowthorpe. 

1^ Geo. S. Downend. 

It will be noticed that this year the members of the Board 
were increased to five. 



176 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT. IOWA. 

1882. 

Recorder Mrs. C. I. Hill. 

Treasurer _ . _ Robert S. Hall. 

Sheriff Jacob B. Lent. . 

Surveyor M. J. Campbell. 

Superintendent of Schools J. R. Elliott. 

Auditor W. M. Moore. 

Clerk of Court John S. Davidson. 

Coroner W. H. Barkhuff. 

No change in Board of Supervisors. 

1883. 

There was no change this year in county officers from 
that of 1882, except H. G. Doolittle, Surveyor. 

1884. 

The changes this year from 1883 were: Auditor, J. S. 
Reynolds in place of W. M. Moore; H. Neill, Coroner, in 
place of Barkhuff, and G. W. Barrager, Supervisor, in place 
of H. C. Allen. 

1885. 

County officers for the year were as follows: 

Recorder Mrs. C. I.Hill. 

Treasurer R.S.Hall. 

Sheriff J. B. Lent. 

Surveyor . H. G. Doolittle. 

Superintendent of Schools J. R. Elliott, 

Auditor J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court W. H. Kimberly. 

Coroner H. Neill. 

f Wm. Mowthorpe, Ch'n. 

I G. S. Downend. 
Supervisors -{ Geo. W. Barrager. 

I Albert Romey. 

[ N. Boor. 

1886. 

The officers for this year remain the same as 1885, with 
the following changes: W. J. Reeves, Superintendent of 
Schools, in place of J. R. Elliott; W. S. Webb, Coroner; 
C. P. Reynolds and Wm. Foster elected Supervisors in place 
of N. Boor and G. S. Downend. 







RESIDENCE OF W. F. ALDRED, OCHEYEDAN. 



178 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

1887. 

The county officers of this year were as follows: 

Recorder . . S. S. Parker. 

Treasurer R. S. Hall. 

Sheriff . J.B.Lent. 

Surveyor H. G. Doolittle. 

Superintendent of Schools W.J. Reeves. 

Auditor J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court J. B. Mead. 

Coroner W. R. Lawrence. 

f S. A. Dove. 

1 C. P. Reynolds. 
Supervisors -{ Geo. W. Barri((er. 

I J. E. Townsend. 

( A. Romey, Chairman. 



Recorder S. S. Parker. 

Treasurer J. B. Lent. 

Sheriff • J- H. Douglass. 

Surveyor H. G. Doolittle. 

Superintendent of Schools W. J. Reeves. 

Auditor . J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court W. R. Lawrence. 

Coroner W. R. Lawrence. 

Supervisors same as 1887. 

1889. 

Recorder S. S. Parker. 

Treasurer . J. B. Lent. 

Sheriff J. H . Douglass. 

Surveyor FL G. Doolittle. 

Superintendent of Schools W.J. Reeves. 

Auditor J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court J. B. Mead. 

Coroner . . W. R. Lawrence. 

There was also elected in the fall of 1889, under a new 
jMovision of the Legislature, a County Attorney. 
County Attorney O. J. Clark. 

["G. W. Barrager, Ch'n. 

I A. Romey. 
Supervisors \ C. P. Reynolds. 

I S. A. Dove. 

I C. W. Conner, 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!', IOWA. 



179 



1890. 

Recorder . S.S.Parker. 

Treasurer J. B. Lent. 

Sheriff J. H. Douglass. 

Surveyor John A. Flower. 

Superintendent of Schools F. W. Hahn. 

Auditor J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court J. B. Mead. 

Coroner W. E. Ely. 

Attorney O.J. Clark. 

C. P. Reynolds, Ch'n. 



Supervisors 



A. Batie. 
C. W. Connor. 
A. Romey. 
S. A. Dove. 



1891. 

Recorder . W. H. Gates. 

Treasurer J. B. Lent. 

Sheriff J. H. Douglass. 

Surveyor J. A. Flower. 

Superintendent of Schools F. W. Hahn. 

Auditor J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk -of Court Will Thomas. 

Coroner W. E. Ely. 

Attorney G. W. Lister. 

["S. A. Dove, Chairman. 

I Adam Batie. 

Supervisors '-1 C. W. Conner. 

P. A. Cajacob. 



[ C. P. Reynolds. 



1892. 



The county officers for this present year are as follows: 

Recorder W. H. Gates. 

Treasurer James E. Townsend. 

Sheriff John F. Stamm. 

Superintendent of Schools F. W. Hahn. 

Auditor . J. S. Reynolds. 

Clerk of Court Will Thomas. 

Attorney . . , G. W. Lister. 



180 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 



Coroner W. E. Ely. 

A. Batie, Chairman. 

S. A. Dove. 
Supervisors -| W. H. Noehren. 

Charles Bangert. 

P. A. Cajacob. 




D. II. BOYD. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Returning again to Ocheyedan Township, we find its 
settlement in 1871 was not extensive, but its incoming settlers 
in 1872 were quite numerous. In July, 1872, Daniel H. Bo3'd 
filed on the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 2. 
Himself and son Charles first looked the county over, and, 
when final place of location was fixed upon, Mr. Boyd went to 
Cedar Falls, where his family were, and all came back with 
him to the claim. In the spring of that year, 1872, Mr. Boyd, 
with the desire to go west which seized many people then, left 
the State of New Hampshire, that beautiful country of scener}' 
that Bayard Taylor called the "Switzerland of America." Mr. 
Boyd first put up a small building on the shack order, and in 
the fall built a better house — the one he still resides in on the 
original claim— and, after a lapse of twenty years, he has a 
beautiful home there, overlooking the thrifty town of Ochey- 
edan, and where its magnificent forest trees add to its attract- 
iveness and beauty. 

Along in September of 1872, Mr. R. S. Hall and Albert 
March came to the Boyd place, they, too, fresh from the 
Granite State. Mr. Hall, a few years ago, went to Long Pine, 
Nebraska, where he still resides. Mr. March still lives on the 
original claim. 

On the morning of the January 7 (i873) blizzard, Mr. 
March, who was putting up a building on his claim, started 
from Mr. Bo^^d's to work that day. As stated elsewhere con- 
cerning the blizzard, the morning was beautiful, and Mr. 
March went with clothing for only ordinary weather, as he 
was to return again at night. His partially built shack was 
two miles east from Mr. Boyd's, and before Mr. March reached 
it the blizzard had commenced, so that, once there, he did not 
long remain, but started back for Mr. Boyd's house. He lost 
his way and wandered for over two hourS, not knowing which 
way he was going, with the storm increasing and the atmos- 
phere growing intensely colder. Mr. March went down upon 
his knees, and in the face of death offered up a pra^^er for his 
deliverance. Soon after rising he saw, not far from him, in a 
lull of the storm, a small shanty, which proved to be that of 
Mr. Sutton, which was about two miles southeast from Mr. 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 188 

March's own claim. Mr. Sutton had been caught in the storm 
at Mr. Ireland's place, and Mr. March remained with the other 
members of the Sutton family until the third day, when the 
storm was over. 

On the second day of that blizzard Mr. Boyd and Mr. 
Hall started from the Boyd place to go to March's shack to 
look after him. It was a hazardous undertaking to go two 
miles in that terrible blizzard and back, but these two men 
had concluded that March was still there and might still be 
alive, and that they might save him. They carried a string 
with them, stretching it out about forty rods, and at the end of 
this, by going slowly and carefully, they followed the blind 
road which had been made by some hauling to the March 
place, and at last reached the shack, but there was no occu- 
pant. These two disappointed men concluded that March 
was lost, and that, rigid with freezing and with death, he la}' 
out somewhere upon the prairie. The task of returning was 
then before them. Mr. Hall was about exhausted and wanted 
to lie down, but Mr. Boyd — of an iron constitution and good 
pluck, and fearful that Hall would give out on the way — 
encouraged his companion to make the venture, which they 
did, and, after a few hours of tedious plodding and in a feeling 
of apprehension for their own safety, they arrived back at the 
l^oyd residence. 

On the third day, after il? had cleared up some, Charles 
Boyd was about to go, under the direction of his father, to 
the Sutton place to see if March was there, when March him- 
self, to the delight and astonishment of the Boyd household, 
opened the door and w'alked in, alive and well. 

On this same Section 2, upon which Mr. Bo3'd filed, Frank 
Taylor took the east half of the northeast quarter in 1872, 
Charles R. Boyd the east half of the northwest quarter, and 
Mr. A. B. Elmore the west half of the northwest quarter. The 
southeast quarter of this same section was a tree claim, tiled on 
b}'^ Mr. Ruttenburg, but which D. H. Boyd subsequently 
became the owner of. The southwest quarter was settled upon 
originally by Mr. Greenleaf. James Goodwin, of Spencer, 
afterwards became the owner of it, and sold to Lorenzo B. 
Bo3'd, who still owns it and there resides, except tifty acres on 
the east side conveyed to Mrs. Tracy, and upon the south half 
of this Section 2 is a part of the Ocheyedan Townsite. 
Lorenzo B. and Charles R. Boyd are sons of D. H., and the 
Boyd family in one of sterling integrit}^, and are among the best 
citizens in the county. Mr. A. B. Elmore still resides on his 



184 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

original Ocheyedan Township claim, and, quoting from a 
former work on Northwestern Iowa, it is said of him: " He is 
an energetic, hard-working farmer, possessed of broad ideas, 
and is well known as an honorable upright citizen." 

Geo. N. Taylor and S. S. Parker left Minnesota, where 
they were then living about sixty miles northwest of St. Paul, 
on the 6th day of May, 1872, and landed on the bank of the 
Ocheyedan on the 28th. They both took claims on Section 
6, Township 99, Range 40. Mr. Parker was afterwards 
elected Recorder and moved to Sibley, where he still resides. 
Mr. Taylor lives in Ocheyedan. Taylor's first crop, or a part 
of it, was two acres of wheat intended for family bread. He 
harvested just one bushel, the grasshoppers had harvested 
ahead. Mr. Taylor lost a yoke of oxen in the January, 1873, 
blizzard. Luke Horrobin settled in Ocheyedan Township in 
1872, and came here from Ohio. He first settled on Section 
6 and afterwards removed to Section 14, where he now resides. 
About 1873, Mr. L. Tatum, with his son, C. A. Tatum, drove 
through from Floyd County, and arrived in Osceola in May. 
L. Tatum filed on a part of Section 14, in West Ocheyedan, 
and in the same Township C. A. Tatum filed a homestead on 
a part of Section 24. L. Tatum is now in Nebraska, and C. 
A. Tatum still owns his original homestead and resides in the 
Town of Ocheyedan. A picture of his residence is on another 
page. W. H. Barkhuff, who has a very fine farm in this town- 
ship, came from Fayette County in March, 1872. He has 
braved the new country adversities with final success. John 
Hesebeck came in 1872, and still lives on the original claim. 
John has had a hard time of it Hke the rest of us, but is a suc- 
cessful farmer. In this township also resides Hans Graves, 
who is mentioned as one of the Graves family, most of whom 
settled in Baker Township, also John Graves. Hans and John 
came in 1872, and both have as fine farms as can be found in 
the state. Claus Yess, living in this township, also came in 
1872. Mr. Yess now lives in a fine residence, across the road 
from which stands the origkial cabin which he first built. 

Geo. Raynor has a very fine place, having purchased it 
from one of the Scotch settlers, so called, for at one time there 
was a Scotch settlement in Ocheyedan Township, which scat- 
tered from misfortune or inexperience in farming. G. A. 
Peter, who still lives in this township and is a good farmer, is 
a son of one of the Scotch settlers. On the east side of the 
township are C. E. Benson, E. J. Benson and F. E. Benson. 
E. J. has been some time in the township. Other residents 




JOHN II. DOUGLASS. 



186 , inSTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

are John Armstrong, I. N. Beanger, A. C. Barnett, A. A. 
Barnett, Anton Barta, C. H. Button, C. S. Buchner. George 
Bremmer is an old resident of this township and lives in the 
southwest part of it. J. J. Callender has been here about six 
years, Edmund Devine about three years and John Ginnie 
about two years. James Hall, on the east side, is something 
of an old settler, enough so as to have had a touch of the 
grasshoppers and has been here about fourteen years. F. H. 
Hunt, along with H. C. March, came in 1875 from New En- 
gland. Mr. Hunt purchased the Luke Horrobin place and 
now has an elegant home. Mr. March is well situated, and 
had the misfortune about a year ago to lose his wife b}- death. 
Richard Harrison, living south of town, has resided there 
about three years. Others have been here as follows: M. N. 
Herbert about five years, Joseph Korth about seven, while J. 
H. Kerby has been here considerably longer. H. J. and R. 
C. Lutson have been residents about five years, D. J. Smith 
about the same; also B. J. J. Morritz, O. J. Barkhuff and J. F. 
and E. J. Bradley. Among other residents of a latter date 
are M. J. Swazy, Thomas Wise, I. W. Olmstead, Wallace 
Olmstead, John A. Smith, Otto Rumford, Charles F. Porter, 
Manley Pickett, J. S. Floyd, Ira Swaney, George Dearhalt. 
T. B. Fletcher, who lives near the noted Ocheyedan Mound, 
came about five years ago, as also did W. A. Cooper. 

C. N. Moar is considerable of an old settler, as is also 
Gilbert and Milan Gee. Hope Graham has been here about 
ten years, and William Siver is considered an old settler. 
Among other residents are W. A. Cook, J. H. Kuntz, N. 
Richardson, N. I. Peter, Albert and Charles Shephard, P. H. 
Tierney, Cornelius Tierney, R. S. Thompson, J. H. Welsh 
and George Waldholm. F. L. James and A. W. Stephens 
are old settlers; also Walter Woolridge and C. C. Webster 
has been here about four years. James Thomas, who is con- 
sidered an old settler, lives on the east side of the township. 
P. L. Thompson, a recent settler, and near him H. Tjden. 
Tjden, in addition to farming, is in the insurance business. J. 
P. Tower is an early settler and is still living on the original 
claim which he settled upon in 1872. John S. Robinson, on 
the west side, has lived there about five years, and Joel Carl, 
after an experience in Dakota, settled in the south part of the 
township about two years ago. J. J. Lintner has been here 
quite a number of years. There are also E. T. Evins, E. J. 
Lee, who has lived in the township about two years; also A. 
H. Paddock. We might further mention David Kratzer, H. 



HtSTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, tOWA. 187 

M. Trumbauer, W.E. Phinney, W. C. Ondler, Andrew Naab. 
O. J. Nenno is an old settler, M. N. Smith has lived in the 
township several years and C. R. Marsh about two years and 
H. W. Anderson about the same. Edward Everett lives near 
Ocheyedan, in this township. He first settled in the county 
in 1 87 1, east of Ashton, in Gilman Township, and has been 
identified now for over twenty years in Osceola Count}' 
affairs. His wife is of a literary turn of mind; has written 
some very elegant poetry and wall soon publish a volume of 
her poems. Mr. Everett was one of the first justices in Gil- 
man township and the first Sunday school superintendent in that 
part of the township, and indeed we believe the first in that 
part of the county. Ocheyedan has gained very much in set- 
tlement in the past two years and is a thrifty, productive 
township. On Section 17, west of Oche3'edan, is I. C. Stew- 
art and M. M. Hulburt, and on Section 18 Charles Moore, and 
Max Decker on Section 33. Joseph Smith lives in the south- 
east part of the township. Ocheyedan Township, as a part 
of Osceola County, would still be incomplete without a men- 
tion of C. B. Knox. Mr. Knox, it is true, lives in Dickinson 
Count}', on the banks of Silver Lake but not a great distance 
from the east line of Ocheyedan. He came from Wisconsin 
in 1S69 and camped for a few weeks on the banks of Spirit 
Lake, and in that same year settled upon the northeast quar- 
ter of Section 28, Township 100, Range 38, where he still re- 
sides. Mr. Knox had occasion to pass across Osceola County 
several times when not a white man was living in the county 
and when he encountered bands of Indians and saw nothing 
but the original untrodden prairie, an occasional wild animal 
and the roving red man. Mr. Knox has a lovely home over- 
looking the placid waters of that beautiful lake, and there en- 
joys life in contentment and with the respect of his neighbors 
and fellow citizens. 



CHAPTER XX. 

The settlement of Holman Township east and west out- 
side of Sibley began in 1871. The township is twelve miles 
east and west, by six miles north and south. The township 
was named after Supervisor Holman, of Woodbury Count3\ 
Goewey Township and Horton were also named after mem- 
bers of Woodbury County's Board of Supervisors at the time 
that Board started Osceola Count}^ into existence. 

The only settler in the township near the neighborhood 
of Sibley was Frank Stiles, and west of Stiles was J. H. 
Winspear, who had a small house near where C. F. Benson's 
residence now is. Just north of Sibley L. C. Chamberlain 
had a homestead, and near him Ed. Shufelt, now of Canton, 
South Dakota, had a pre-emption. Mr. Chamberlain lived 
there about twenty years, and now is in San Francisco, Cali- 
fornia. Near these D. Busbee, M. V. Beebe and J. K. Shaw 
were located, while west of these were Robert Stamm and 
John O'Neill. Garrett Irwin and James Bailey were in the 
same neighborhood. A mile west of Chamberlain's were E. 
Morrison, John Beaumont and D. L. Riley, while still further 
were Daniel Call, Charles Call and N. Richards and Busbee. 
On the section directly west of Sibley, where is now the fine 
stock farm of H. L. Emmert, were Henry L. Baker, W. W. 
Cram, Myron Churchill and Thomas Parland. On the first 
section south of town were R. O. Manson, Geo. W. Bean, A. 
M. Culver and his son, Andrew. West of these were G. F. 
Nixon, A. W. Mitchell and Pat Larkin, and still further west 
were John Coughlin, C. M. Bailey and Edward Lindsey. 
Near this section were located William Proper, William and 
Joseph Anderson, Rev. Mr. Aldrich and Thomas Jackson. 
East of these was the Robinson section, John L., F. M. and 
Ed., and near these were the Rice brothers, Martin and 
Hughes, also Doc. Ward. South of the Culvers were W. 
Belcher and near him David Chambers and sons. West of 
these were David Johns, Peter Wagnei% Thomas Thompson, 
and near them John Welcher, S. F. Thompson and C. B. 
Hann. 

Of these old settlers mentioned, Winspear went to Colo- 
rado; Stiles and Shufelt are in Dakota; M. V. Beebe is in 




RESIDENCE OF JOHN H. DOUGLASS, SIBLEY. 



190 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Ellsworth, Minn.; J. K. Shaw is in Salt Lake City; W. H. 
Morrison is in Kettle Falls; John O'Neill and James Bailey 
have died; D. L. Riley is in Iowa Falls; H. L. Baker is in 
Indiana; Myron Churchill is in Pipestone, Minn.; W. W.Cram 
is in Nebraska; Edward Linsdey is dead, and his two sons, 
Harvey and Henry, have farms in this county; C. M. Bailey .is 
in the Auditor's office at Des Moines; F. M. Robinson is at 
Atlanta, Ga. ; and Pat Larkin is in Kansas. 

Of the pioneers mentioned, but few remain on their 
claims. Robert Stamm continues to live on his claim, and 
A. W. Mitchell and John Coughlin are on the same original 
claims; David Jones, John Chamberlain and R. O. Manson 
also live on the land originally taken. East of Sibley, Dr. 
J. M.Jenkins and his brother John filed; near them, John I. 
Halstead and his son, Al Halstead, and also Rev. John Webb. 
A mile north of these was located J. F. Glover, F. F. White, 
E. A. White and S. A. Wright, and east of, C. F. Krueger 
and sons. Near these last mentioned, were Chauncey H. 
Bull, John E. Johnson and John E. Selecht. West of Bull 
were James Bowles, E. C. Jenkins, Howey Walters and Mr. 
Loharty. In the same neighborhood were the parties here- 
tofore mentioned on Section 8. 

On Section 14 were Wallace Rea, O. C. Staplin, John 
Roberts and C. A. Kirkpatrick. On Section 22 were J. S. 
Reynolds, Frank Coe and S. H. Weslcott. On Section 24, 
H. G. Doolittle and John McDonald; near there was the 
Mandeville section — H. N. and his sons William and Charles. 
On Section 28 were John H. Miller, W. J. Miller, G. H. 
Perry and John Q. Miller; east were Hiram Burt, Michael 
Clapsaddle, H. S. Brown and J. Bud worth; near by. Jack 
Kettle, Wm. Horton, H. L. Clapsaddle, W. H. Philips and 
J. B.Jenny. The Jenkins people have all moved away. The 
Halsteads moved to Nebraska, the White boys returned to 
Wisconsin, S. A. Wright to Nebraska, and Mr. Loharty per- 
ished in a blizzard. C. M. Brooks lives in Cedar Rapids and 
Hiram Austin in Kansas. 

Thus the early settlers of Holman Township have scat- 
tered, except what few remain, and some have died. Those 
who left got discouraged and disheartened with the disadvan- 
tages which every new country has, and returned to their 
former homes, or sought other fields. The land of these early 
settlers is now occupied by other and later comers, who will 
reap the harvest, which, with the absent settlers failed to 
materialize. 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 191 

Among the present settlers, some of whom may through 
inadvertence be omitted, are Geo. N. Argubright, P. C. 
Alexander, Gens Anderson, Geo. Alberns, Horace Ackerson, 
Dirk Albers, Charles Andrews, Charles Thomas, William 
Brechel, C. F. Blackmore, J. W. Bechet, Frank Burton, A. L. 
Baxter, Will Chase, P. A. Cajacob — Mr, Cajacob is a mem- 
ber of the Board of Supervisors — ^J. S. Campbell, who bought 
the tine Philips farm, Geo. Cooper, M. J. Chambers, David 
Chambers, D. J. Chambers, Aaron Cox, H. L. Clapsaddle, 
J. J. Conway, G. De Bries, William Drahe, William Dix, J. L. 
Dufree, C. N. Flower, G. W. Flower, D. R. Flower, John 
Gerver, J. T. Greenfield. This last named gentleman is a 
pioneer who has a large farm. J. H. Gallagher also lives in 
this township, who is a fine stock breeder; also J. H. Gee, 
John Gache and Jonathan Gross. There are also A. Hunter, 
John Hess, Nick Hess, J. H. Karem, Claus Hoffman,- George 
Heritage, Mahlon Harvey, E. A. Hunter, Matt Hillers, P. 
Henry, Peter Johannes, D. D. Jenkins, J. G. Johnson, J. B. 
Jenney, Joseph Kappes, F. L. Kruger, W. H. Ketchem, 
A. Klossen, William Kastor, Theodore Ling, C. F. Ling, 
Thomas Larson, J. S. Martin, R. F. Maloney, D. Myer and 
J. Miller, whose wife is one of the big turkey raisers of the 
county, Peter Nelson, Dan O'Neill, John McCone, John 
Pfeffer, Peter Philbern, L. S. Patterson, Thomas Pell. This 
last named gentleman is a Congregational clerg3'man, who has 
been pastor of a church in the county and last winter preached 
in Florida. There are also Charles Parker, P. Redmond, 
N. H. Reynolds, Joseph Roth, John Redmond, B. A. Stamm, 
who is also a pioneer, Henry Shroeder, Will Shroeder, John 
Schulte, Robert Smith, who was also a pioneer, Martin 
Schmidt, G. L. Smith, Peter Shaw, James Stevens, James 
Thomas, Robert Taylor, J. F. Taylor, W. L. Taylor, G. B. 
Van Norman, David Whitney, John Wagner, who is a large 
farmer, John E. Wagner, T. M. Wagner. These names do 
not include all the residents of Holman Township, but such as 
could be ascertained by observation and inquiry. They have 
taken the even numbered sections of the government land, 
and the railroad land, being the odd numbered, and following 
the little settlements and small improvements of the pioneer, 
they have made Holman Township one of the finest agricul- 
tural districts in the country. 

The farmers of this township, as well as all other town- 
ships, have, in less than a quarter of a century, built highways, 
made substantial homes, built school-houses, and today this 



192 HISTORl' OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 

township, that in the sixties rated at $1.25 per acre and in the 
seventies rated at $2.50 to $5 an acre, has advanced to be 
worth from $25 to $50 an acre. Industrial developement is 
marvelous. The Nineteenth Century advancement is won- 
derful to contemplate, but right here at our doors, before our 
very eyes, has been a transformation as remarkable as can be 
noted in any department of industry in the wide field of this 
great republic. 




RESIDENCE OF W. B. STEVENS, SIBLEY. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The lirst settler in Baker Township was in 1871, but 
during that winter following, there was hardly anyone there. 
Several who had settled in Goewey in 1871, afterwards moved 
to Baker, and now reside there. Among these are W. H. 
Lean and Adam Batie. In 1872, a great many took claims 
in Baker; indeed, in 1872 and 1873, the Government land 
was about all taken. Among those that came to Baker in 
1 87 1, were Philip and Peter Ladenberger, and came from 
Wisconsin. Philip still resides in the county at Sibley. 
Peter perished in 1873 blizzard, elsewhere mentioned. John 
Kinne also came in 1871, and we believe that this gentleman 
and family were the only residents in this township in the win- 
ter 187 1 and 1872. There were also Jacob Henshaw, 
Albert Waldo and Ed. Melvin. Mr. Melvin is in Sioux City, 
and Mr. Henshaw now resides in Dickinson County. 

There was some breaking done in the township in 187 1, 
and some vegetables raised, but the products of the county 
that year amounted to but httle, and the shacks were very 
Hmited in number. Adam Batie drove through from Wiscon- 
sin in 1 87 1, with Stephen Higgins, filed that year on a claim 
in Goewey Township, and afterwards settled in Baker. Mr. 
Batie is a member of the Board of County Supervisors. 
Elmore R. Hazen arrived, in the county in 1872, and settled 
on the southwest quarter of Section 2, in Baker. He still 
owns the original claim. He put up the usual shack and did 
some breaking. On the Hazen place now live the Holle 
family, consisting of Herman Holle, wife, one daughter and 
three sons. A picture of C. W. Holle is elsewhere in the 
book. They own land themselves, but at present live on the 
Hazen place, and farm this along with their own. 

Harmon Runyon took the northeast quarter of Section 2 
in 1872, and is still living on the same place with valuable im- 
provements. He came here from Winneshiek County, and 
along with him came Mr. Smith and Benj. Davis. Smith and 
Davis soon returned. Davis afterwards died, and Smith still 
lives in Winneshiek. Smith and Runyon also had a dangerous 
experience with the December, 1872, blizzard. They went to 
Sibley at that time and then drove around to Huff's to get 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 195 

their papers, and while on their way home the blizzard over- 
took them. They kept pushing on with the storm, and finally 
brought up at Teabout's ranch, in Cla}^ County. Runyon's 
hat blowed away, and in running after that, he lost sight of the 
team, and with difficulty found it again. Altogether it was a 
narrow escape for them, as it was with a great many others in 
those early blizzards. 

Henry Dunkleman is still living in Baker on the game 
original claim filed upon in 1872. Baker Township has one 
postoffice called Gopher, of which W. H. Lean, elsewhere 
mentioned, is postmaster. It is on Section 6. Henry Brem- 
mer is an early settler on Section 5, 

Among other residents of the township, not otherwise 
mentioned, are Ira Peck, who is at present the only one living 
on Section 3. John Haskins, Charles Wilson, S. T. Price, 
Harvey Nash, Theodore Frey, H. W. Jones, Adolph Knox, 
A. Hager, John Frey, Peter Wilson, Peter Anderson, Hermen 
Frey, Henry Verteen, A. D. Wilson, W. Logar, George Leg- 
gctt, August Buchholtz, Will PhiHps, Philip Schertzer, Henry 
Walters, Conrad Fink, John Fink, Charles Fink, Casper 
Diekman, Benj. Diekman, George Webster, H. Weigands, 
Clark Howard, W. Bell, James McAnrich, Herman Lyman, 
Thomas Dewey, Charles Goodman, John Price, Frank Cres- 
sap and son, Mr. Lyons, David Logar. Mr. Logar has in- 
vented a flax cleaner and obtained a patent on it, which is said 
to be a great improvement. Charles Timmons is on Section 
2, and C. M. McDougal is on Section 15. Still others are 
Dirk Frey, J. D. C. Frey, Frank Quiggle, Phihp Keller, John 
Benz, John Wiggenhausser, Peter Keutzer, John Jobes, Ernest 
Benz, Fritz Rhoda, S. M. Stanford, August Gentz, O. Dufrees, 
Henry Bremmer, H. Waehtel, Peter Johnson, J. Hokkoff, 
Theodore Reimmers, George Reimmers. C. W. Br3'an, who 
is School and Township Clerk, lives on Section 21. Palmer 
Rumford lives on the east side of the township. 

Hans Graves, who yet lives in Baker Township, came in 
1872, along with H. Steffenhagen and one other party. Mr. 
Steffenhagen still lives in the township, and both himself and 
Mr. Graves are entitled to the success they have made of it, 
as they went through the early hard times. They returned 
for the winter and came* out agam in the spring of 1873. 
They came from Clinton County, and when they came back 
the following spring, there came with them Mr. Frank Graves, 
uncle to Hans, and other members of the family, Peter, John 
C, Frank and Jerry Graves and Claus Yess. These all took 



196 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

claims. Peter and Frank Graves are now in Chicago in the 
jeweh-y business, and John C, with his family, live in Ochey- 
edan, and is engaged in the mercantile business. The other 
members of the family live on their original claims and all are 
well-to-do. 

As has been said with reference to other townships, some 
names are no doubt omitted as we did not intend to make a 
complete directory but more of a record of past events. Baker 
Township is one of the best in the county. 

Harrison Township, which was a part of Baker until a 
few years ago, was not early settled as other townships were. 
We believe about the first settler in this township was Mr. 
Billion, and the place where he lived was known for several 
years as the Billion Ranch, and is so called now. It was land 
owned by Rev. Peter Haverman, a Catholic priest, of Troy, 
New York, who started there a cattle ranch, and sent Mr. 
Billion out from New York State to run it. From poor 
management, the enterprise proved a failure. Mr. Haverman 
was out several times, and is spoken of as a very honorable 
and conscientious man. 

In the north part of the township is quite a settlement of 
Mennonites. This sect is distinguished by antique simplicity, 
by their indifference to the great interests of the world, and at 
the same time their industry and self concentrations make 
them well to-do. The main interest m the sect lies not in 
dogma, but in principle, and as men they are conscientious, 
law-abiding citizens. They have about thirty members, and 
hold services every two weeks. They came from Canada to 
Harrison township. Jesse Bauman came first in 1887, and, his 
report concerning the country bemg favorable, others soon 
followed. They sent out carpenters, who erected buildings 
for them, and there is a sameness about all their surroundings. 
Josiah Martin, one of the leaders among his people, has all of 
Section 10. The Bauman's are also prominent — Jesse, Amos 
and Elias. Elias is on Section 4, and Jesse and Amos on 
Section 9. In this north part of the township are also Julius 
Worm, Louis Clatt, Frank Gregory, John Huehn, Louis 
Johannes, Daniel Weaver, Daniel Stauffer, John Dunnenworth, 
George Bryer, Abraham Widner, Jacob Brubaker, Elias 
Ginrich, Henry Gregory, Elias Reist, Daniel Harley, Fred 
Kampene, James Reist, Mr. Kesterling. 

The May City postoffice is on Section 8, in this township, 
about the center. This section is owned by a company, and 
is intended for a townsite. E. S. Robertson is postmaster, and 




OCHEYKDAN HOUSE, OCHEYEDAN, 



198 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Mr. Robertson's father and two brothers are living there at 
present. Martin Houcks and August Hess are the village 
blacksmiths, and John Brendley the shoemaker. An incoming 
railroad, which is expected, would make May City quite a 
point. Section 12 is owned by Lon, John and Joseph Cham- 
bers. On Section 6 are the Smith brothers, O.J. and A. W. 
Among other of the residents there, George and E. L. 
Krukenburg are on Section 31, Henry Krukenburg is on Sec- 
tion 30, Chris Dorman and John Marsh are on Section 32 and 
John Isley and Henry Schmoll are on Section 33. Among 
other of its residents are Ernest Krukenburg, Henry Lager, 
Henry Groff, Conrad Schmoll, Danied Tyards, W. D. Sauer, 
John Brochus, Peter Anker, Henry Newkirk, T. Hemmig, 
George Ryers, Charles Mielke; also Albert Mielke, John 
Sittler, Martin Fritz; also Peter Anker, David Anker, A. F. 
Berdine, W. H. Brerver, L. W. Lopp, Gerritt DeBoor, Wm. 
Eden, Herman Eden, R. E. Ellis, R. C. Fuller, J. C. Herlie, 
J. W. Wardrip, A. B. Weidman, Daniel Shafer, W. J. Smith, 
Hugh Starts, Louis and Philip Kesserling, David Steiner, 
Henry Heimrich, John Kimble, E. T. Willner, Martin Hank, 
John Huchn. This township was named after President 
Harrison, and many of its fine farms are attractive and delight 
the eye. E. C. Roberts, in addition to the postoffice at May 
City, has also a general stock of goods and his store is well 
patronized. Emil Hemmig and Fred Tschudin also live in 
Harrison. T. Hemmig is an old settler for Harrison, and 
came here six years ago. 



©OWNS IN THE ©OUNTY. 



HARRIS. 



This is a station on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and 
Northern Raih'oad, on the east side of the county. At pres- 
ent it does not claim to be metropolitan, but expects some time 
in the future to acquire prominence as one of the towns in the 
county. It is well located, and when the country around it 
becomes more settled, the town will grow correspondingly. 
It has one general store, managed by Rufus Townsend, who 
is also postmaster, and the store has a good trade. M. B. 
Smith has a lumber yard; also a harness shop. J. Ryckman 
runs a coal yard and John Waiting is the blacksmith. The 
station agent is Homer Richards, and Harris has a decorative 
painter, Frank P. Burley. This about comprises the bus- 
iness interests of Harris, and no doubt the historian ten years 
from now will be able to make an extensive record, which will 
come from its future crrowth. 



ASHTON. 



The Town of Ashton was laid out by the Land Depart- 
ment of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company in 
1872. It was first named St. Gilman, but afterwards, in 1882, 
this name was changed to Ashton. The town is beautifully 
located, and on the east side of its business portion runs the 
Otter, a beautiful stream, though not a large one. It is a 
thrifty town, having tributary to it a scope of countr}' that for 
productiveness and fertility of soil is unexcelled in the state. 
The first building on the townsite was placed there by T. J. 
Sliaw in the fall of 1872, and the building still stands there and 
is now occupied by John Kunnen for a restaurant. Mr. Shaw 
is the same party who, previous to that time, had a store on 
Section 32 in Gilman township, and he put up the building 
now in Ashton before the town was laid out, and when lots 
were to be had, placed the building on one of them and gave 



200 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

it a permanent abiding place. Mr. Shaw left Osceola County 
in 1888, and now resides in Oregon. After Shaw's store, 
followed a warehouse in 1873, P^^^ up by Brown & Rounds- 
ville. Mr. Brown resides in Nebraska, and Mr. Roundsville 
died several years ago. About the same time the warehouse 
was built, a lumber yard office was put up, and this was used 
afterwards for various purposes, and, by adding to it, Mr. 
David Underbill now has it for a residence. Then followed a 
blacksmith shop, run by Charles Miller, who sold to John Lee, 
and m 1878 Lee sold out to I. B. Lucas, who still continues 
the same business. Another store soon followed, a millinery 
shop, and, in those days of beer and native wine from fruits 
grown in the state, a saloon. A hotel building was also 
erected soon after by J. D. Billings, which still stands in Ash- 
ton, but which has been improved by large additions, and is 
now owned by C. W. Freeman and run by Nick Reiter. 
When Ashton got fairly started, it had two stores, a millinery 
shop, blacksmith shop, hotel, warehouse, saloon and two resi- 
dences. Then came the grasshoppers, whose ravages are 
mentioned elsewhere, and these so discouraged and disheart- 
ened the first business men of the town that one by one they 
"Folded their tents like Arabs, and as silently stole away." 
The store-keepers sold what they could, and packed up the 
balance of the stock and departed. The hotel man had no 
custom and he went, the saloon-keeper had to tend both sides 
of the bar and do all the drinking himself, the millinery goods 
were not in demand, no grain came to market, and the exodus 
was thorough and complete. 

In 1879, "^ writer in the Gazette, said the following of St. 
Oilman: "Last week we spent an hour or two in Oilman. 
This village is struggling with all its hopes in the future, wait- 
ing patiently for a depot, an elevator, an express and telegraph 
office. A year or two of good crops will bring it into notice, 
give it more buildings, sidewalks, a mayor and all the para- 
phernalia of a full -fledged metropolis, until then it must move 
quietly and contentedly. Its only merchant, F. M. Bashfield, 
was at his post. He is a gentleman, courteous, social and of 
much intelligence; is a close dealer and watches every penny, 
and indeed this is the secret of success. Kit Carson, who is 
the magistrate, was absent, either figuring on the increase and 
improvement of stock, or else talking politics. Kit is a host 
in himself and good company. The portly form of Lucas, 
the village blacksmith, was seen bending over his work which 
seemed to be lying all around. The old Shaw store building 




RESIDENCE OF DR. W. E. ELY, OCHEYEDAN. 



202 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT!'. IOWA. 

is used for a dwelling and the familiar countenance of its former 
and original occupant is no longer seen in town. Charley 
Miller has moved into the country, not far from Oilman, and 
now follows the plow instead of measuring wood and weigh- 
ing coal. When the country tributary to Oilman is settled, it 
will make a snug town and a good business point." 

J. D. Billings, now of Sheldon, was the first justice and 
one of the first school officers. His daughter Marv was the 
first child born in the town. 

In about 1883 business revived there again, stores were 
opened, the hotel once more had a landlord, and St. Gilman 
then made another start on the road to wealth and prosperity. 
About that time Nick Boor opened up there in business, and 
this had something to do with its new start. The Pattersons 
also, A. and G. W., gave the town an impetus, and since the 
change in name, and new parties going in, the town has con- 
tinued to grow\ 

Its leading business interests are now represented by: 
J. H. and C C. Carmichael, drug store, who came to Ashton 
in 1892; restaurant by John Kunnen, who commenced busi- 
ness in 1892; H. A. Carson, son of J. W., who opened a 
photograph gallery this present year; furniture store by F. H. 
Thompson, established 1891; clothing store, M. Hingtgen, 
1891; meat market, Ira L. and P. E. Kennen, 1891; harness 
shop, N. Klees, 1892; jewelry store, A. I^. Hyde, 1892; res- 
taurant, Henry Wheelhouse, 1890; hardware, C. W. Rahe, 
1890; livery barn, J. Smith and L. Lamar; blacksmith shop, 
I. B. Lucas and W. B. Reagen; hotel, N. Reiter; wagon 
shop, J. W. Clark; general store, Henry Wheelhouse; also 
general store, H. Ennga, 1892; general store, S. S. Dean and 
J. A. Hoffman; general store, W. S. and G. L. Queenby, 
1892; general store, M. Wermerskirchen, 1890; Nick Boor 
and W, L. Benjamin have an agricultural house and an 
elevator; H. S. Grant, farm machinery; C.J.King and L. M. 
March, blacksmith shop; Frank DeVoss, barber shop; and 
S. M. Ijrown, a mechanic, and has charge of the elevator. 

The banking interests are represented by A. and G. W. 
Patterson, with G. W. Patterson in immediate charge. 

Ashton's postmaster is J. W. Reagan. It has three 
church buildings. Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist. One 
paper is published there, the Leader^ by C. A. Charles. It is 
a bright, five-column quarto, and has large circulation. 

Ashton is a live business town and one of general pros- 
perity. It has some very elegant residences, good stores, and 



HISTORl OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 20H 

thorough business men, and the town will continue its growth. 
It is a good grain market and a good place for general 
trading, 

Ashton is situated on Section 15, in Oilman Township; is 
on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway 
line. It has the usual secret societies and social organizations 
and its business men are on a solid basis. J. B. McEnany is 
its physician. It also has a creamery, managed and owned 
by C. W. Baird and is soon to have another elevator. Alto- 
gether Ashton promises to be considerable of a place in the 
future. Its present municipal officers are : 
Mayor Joseph W. Reagan 

("W. L. Benjamin. 

I C. J. King. 

Trustees J J""^'' ^^""• 

irusiees -i C. W. Rake. 

I Peter Wagner. 

^P. E. Kiemen. 

Recorder J- H. Carmichael. 

Marshal E. S. Knowles. 



OCHEYEDAN. 

The town is laid out on a part of Section 2, and a part of 
Section 11, in west Ocheyedan Township. The writer has 
been unable to ascertain correctly the origin of the word 
Ocheyedan, and hence will not attempt to account for it. 

The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad 
crossed Osceola County in the year 1884. The coming of 
this road brought into existence the Town of Oche3/^edan, and 
in the fall of 1884 building commenced. The first building 
put up on the town site was a "shanty," which kind of a build- 
ing is well understood, though the word itself is bccommg 
obsolete. This was put up by James Wood, and he lived in 
it and stored his goods there, while a building was being pre- 
pared for occupancy. Out of his stock, however, he made 
some sales, and run a sort of "shanty" trade until he got 
straightened out in more mercantile condition. This was in 
the fall of 1884, and at this same time Charles Wood worth 
had lumber on the ground for a hardware store; also did Wood 
for a general store, and William Smith for a general store. 
Woodworth moved into his building first with his stock of 
hardware, so that this building, which Mr. Woodworth still 



204 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

occupies, may be said to be the first business house in the 
town. Wood put his stock also in Woodworth's building 
temporarily, and as soon as his own was finished moved into 
that. Mr. Smith got his building finished in October, and put 
in a general stock. This same fall of 1884 the Kout brothers, 
Joseph and Dominick, put up a store building and filled it with 
a general stock of goods. L. B. Boyd also put up a building 
that fall, in which he opened a general store, and these four 
general stores, with the hardware, constituted the mercantile 
business of the town in the winter of i884~'85. We will add, 
however, that Dr. C. Teal erected the building now occupied 
by Ed. Becker as a barber shop, in the fall of 1884, and 
opened up a drug store, also practiced as a physician. Dr. 
Teal moved from Ocheyedan a few years ago, and now lives 
in North Carolina. William Smith sold out a year or so after- 
wards to D. J. Jones, who carried on a general store until the 
spring of 1891, when he died. Mrs. Jones continued the 
business after her husbands death until this present year, when 
she sold out to Bunker Bros., who now occupy the building 
with a stock of groceries. Wood sold out to M. J. Young, 
who carried a general stock, and in the fall of 1891 Young 
sold out to J. W. Thomas & Son, who now run a general 
store in the same building. The Kout Bros, sold out building 
and stock to R. J. O. McGowan, who now occupies the same 
stnnd with a general store. The L. B. Boyd building first 
had a general store, and is now occupied by W. F. Stimpson 
for a restaurant. In the fall of 1884 also Archibald Oliver put 
up the livery barn now owned and occupied by E. D. Cleave- 
land. Mr. Oliver was then, and was the first, station agent in 
Ocheyedan. 

There w^as also erected in the fall of 1884 two ware- 
houses for grain and coal. One was put up by French & 
Hayward, and the other by D. L. Riley. These business 
houses, with a few dwellings, was what constituted the town 
of Ocheyedan until the sping of 1885. There was, however, 
in 1884 a lumber yard started by D. L. Riley, and run by 
Fred Wheeler. In the spring of 1885 C. A. and M. A. Tatum 
erected the building now occupied by A. J. Coulton. Tatum's 
opened a feed store and butcher shop, and afterwards sold it 
to Coulton. Peter Graves opened a general store in 1885, 
and erected the building now occupied by John and Mary 
Graves. Also the same year John Wilson put up the W. J. 
Robinson building, now occupied by L. D. and E. P. Johnson. 
The hotel building, called the Ocheyedan House, was built in 




RESIDENCE OF O. B. HARDING, GOEWEY TOWNSHIP. 



206 HIS TOR r OF OSCEOLA COUNT 1\ IOWA. 

1885 by John Wilson, who run it a few months and was then 
succeeded by Charles Carnes, and he by H. Runyon, 1. N. 
Daggett soon after purchased the building and run the hotel 
himself a short time, and was succeeded by J. F. Pfaff. Pfaff 
was succeeded by S. A. D6ve, who bought the property in 
1891, and is still owner and landlord. Mr. Dove has recently 
sold and will move to Missouri. 

Ocheyedan celebrated the first year of its existence on the 
4th day of July, 1885. It was given out beforehand that a 
great time was to be had, and the country around looked upon 
the coming celebration as an event of considerable importance, 
and it was. People flocked into Ocheyedan in great numbers 
on that day, and it seemed as if the whole country was there. 
Archibald Oliver was president of the day and C. A. Tatum, 
marshal. W. J. Robinson read the declaration of independ- 
ence, and Henderson, a farmer living south of Ocheyedan, 
delivered the oration. The music consisted of fife and drum; 
also playing upon the organ and singing. There was a foot 
race, sack race and a horse trot. Will Peters won the foot 
race purse, and in the sack race Joel Rice took first money 
and Frank Daley second. The Tatum's carried off the hon- 
ors in the horse race, M. A. taking first money and H. C. sec- 
ond. The contestants in the horse race were M. A. and H. 
C. Tatum, Broadfoot, Adam Sterling, Smith and Claus Yess. 
There was considerable excitement over this and the boys 
were somewhat demonstrative over it, but did not let their 
angry passions rise to the extent of an open fight, but at times 
were near to it. The day wound up with a bowery dance; 
Joseph Hall played the violin and there was other music. The 
dance lasted ;^ill night and towards morning the remaining par- 
ticipants in this first celebi^ation went home to recruit up after 
this enthusiastic siege. 

The drug store building recently occupied by A. E. 
Smith was built by John Webster and was placed between 
Cleveland's livery and the railroad track, and it was used there 
for a saloon. It was built in 1886. In 1887 it was moved to 
where it now stands. It is now used by T. H. Dravis for a 
clothing house. 

Ocheyedan, as a town location, is unexcelled. It is on a 
gradual rise from the railroad track, and most of the town is 
on the elevation. This enables it to have clean streets, and a 
complete drain for water. 

Other buildings followed along in the course of construc- 
tion, and in 1885 A. V. Randall erected a business house on 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 207 

the corner of Main Street, which is now used by Walton 
Brothers for a furniture store. In 1S90 C. A. and M. A. 
Tatnm put up a building for livery barn, now occupied by 
Tatum Brothers for an agricultural house. The elevator, now 
owned and occupied by A. W. Harris & Co., was placed there 
in 1885. In 1890 Bowersock Brothers, consisting of Asa and 
E. Bowersock, bought out D. L. Riley's lumber yard, and are 
still running the same business. In 1891 John Porter & Son, 
of Reinbeck, Iowa, started the second lumber yard in Ochey- 
edan, which is still running, under the management of W. F. 
Aldred. 

The bank building, now occupied by the Ocheyedan 
Bank, was erected by I. N. Daggett, who sold out to the 
Northwestern State Bank, of Sibley, and it was then placed 
in charge of E. Baker, now vice president of the Northwestern 
State Bank. They sold to the Ocheyedan Savings Bank, of 
which C. S. McLaury is president, W. M. Smith, vice presi- 
dent, and J. L. McLaury, cashier, under whose management 
it now is. 

The present year, 1892, John Porter & Son also estab- 
lished a bank, which, in connection with their lumber business, 
is under the management of W. F. Aldred, whose name 
appears as cashier. 

Ocheyedan has grown gradually each year since its first 
starting. It has never been boomed, but has made its way 
quietly as the country demanded its growth. This year of 
1892 it has pushed ahead considerably. Kout Brothers have 
erected a very fine business house, which is now occupied by 
A. E. Smith for a drug store. A. V. Randall has added a 
business building to Main Street, as has also E. N. Moore. 
Several elegant dwelling houses have also been erected by 
C. A. Tatum, W. F. Aldred, Dr. W. E. Ely, Mrs. D. R. 
Jones, Charles Woodworth and others. In 1891 Asa Bower- 
sock put up a very fine residence house, as also did M. A. 
Tatum. 

In 1889 several of the farmers around established in 
Ocheyedan a creamery, which is a joint stock corporation. 
The association was formed in 1889, and the following year 
buildings were erected and business started. Its present 
officers are: President, J. C. Moar; secretary, W. E. Ely; 
treasurer, J. L. McLaury; directors, Dick Wassman, Geo. 
W. Thomas, W. A. Cooper, Henry Bremer, J. C. Ward. 

At the close of last year the secretary, W. E. Ely, pub- 
lished in the local paper the following report : 



208 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT. IOWA. 

"The Ocheyedan Creamery has just finished the second 
season of its existence, and as there is some inquiry concerning 
its workings and profits, we will endeavor to give a short 
account of what has been done. Active work commenced 
about the middle of April and continued until the middle of 
September, or about five months in all. During that time we 
have received 526,430 pounds, making 21,435 pounds of 
butter, or an average of 4.07 pounds per hundred. Our cream 
wagon has gathered 6,703 inches of cream, making the total 
amount of butter manufactured 28,138 pounds. For milk we 
have paid the shareholders at the rate of 55 cents per hundred 
for May, June and July; 68 cents for August, and 80 cents for 
September, or a grand total of $3,098.99, averaging 59 cents 
per hundred for the season. For gathered cream we paid 
13^ cents per inch in May and June, 12^ cents in July, 16^ 
cents in August, and 17)4^ cents in September; in all $920,66, 
or an average of 13^^ cents per inch for the season. All of 
our butter has been sold in New York at Elgin prices — the 
gathered cream excepted, that grading lower and bringing 
from I to 3 cents per pound less. 

" It has been clearly demonstrated that a creamery pays, 
and in proportion to the amount of patronage it receives. 
Four hundred pounds can be manufactured each day as cheap 
as 100 pounds, and reduces the expense accordingly. When 
milk can be brought to the creamery in good condition for 
separating, that system pays better than the gathered cream 
system, while the latter on the whole is more profitable than 
the home dairy. But a creamery is like any other business 
concern, to be successful it must have patronage, and if its own 
incorporators stand back waiting for it to become a paying 
concern before they put their shoulder to the wheel, how can 
they expect outsiders to take any interest or invest any capital 
in the concern. Two years' work has demonstrated sure 
success, and if each shareholder does his duty during the 
coming season I am sure he will find that not only will the 
creamery relieve his family of the drudgery of butter making, 
but will pay him more cash than he could possibly make out 
of his milk himself. Respectfuly, 

• "W.E.Ely, 

'■'•Secretary.'''' 

Ocheyedan has two church organizations, the Methodist 
and Congregationalist. The Methodist organization was first 
completed in the country outside the town before the town 
started, and for awhile had two buildings, one of them still 




DR. B. A. WILDER. 



210 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Standing and used near Mr. Mowlhorpe's place. Judge Mc- 
Callum, in giving us the history of the building, says that in 
1876, or thereabouts, when he was holding down his claim 
near Ocheyedan, himself and L. G. Ireland, with F. H. Hunt, 
D. H. Boyd, Wm. Mowthorpe and others concluded that they 
wanted a sanctuary for worship and some place to go to church. 
Ireland, McCallum and some others were sort of outsiders 
and not sound in the faith, and the question arose as to the 
location, and upon this they were divided. A meeting was 
held at Mr. Hunt's and the majority sat down completely on 
any location, except that where a church building now stands, 
near Mr. Mowthorpe's. The McCallum crowd were bound 
to have a church anyhow where they wanted it, so they went 
at it, and inside of three weeks they had a building all ready 
for occupancy on a corner of Ireland's claim. The other 
fellows, not to be outdone, also went at it and built their 
church near Mr. Mowthorpe's, where it now is. One was 
called grit and the other grace — the McCallum one being grit. 
After they were erected, however, the brethren dwelt together 
in unity, and, with the help of Brother Mallory, their spiritual 
welfare was looked after, and all were satisfied. The Mc- 
Callum church was moved into Ocheyedan when the town 
started. 

When the building was moved into Ocheyedan, the 
church pastor then was Rev. R. Hild. He was succeeded by 
Rev. Keister, he by Rev. J. M. Woolery and then Rev. S. C. 
Olds, the present pastor. The church building is far too 
small for the present accommodations and one larger and more 
spacious will be erected in the near future. 

The Congregational society was organized in the spring 
of 1889. For awhile its exercises consisted of a Sunday 
school and occasional preaching from some clergyman sent 
from the state missionary society and this continued until 1890 
when Rev. L. R. Fitch became its established pastor and is 
such now. .This society now holds its services in the school 
house in the upper story, but will at no distant day erect a 
church building and they are very much in need of one. Rev. 
Thomas Pell was at one time pastor and is a forcible preacher. 

Ocheyedan became an incorporated town fully, upon the 
election of its first officers in April, 1891. In March of that 
year, the previous month, the question of incorporation or no 
incorporation was submitted to the people. Public opinion 
was about equally divided and a discussion of the question 
previous to the vote being taken, had warmed the contending 



HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 211 

parties into a strong and almost belligerent controversy. In- 
corporation carried by a few votes and as soon as the conflict 
was over, the opposers submitted gracefully, and the feeling 
then was undivided in all interests that would promote the 
welfare and progress of Ocheyedan. Soon public improve- 
ments were entered into, ordinances for the better government 
of the town, and in promotion of its welfare were passed, and 
internal improvements became the order of the day. The 
town's greatest need then was a system of sidewalks and these 
came along in good time, are now on all streets where busi- 
ness or residences require them. There is an eight-foot walk 
which adds not only to the convenience of the town, but to its 
appearance as well. The present town ofhcers were the first 
officers elected in April, 1891, with one exception, which is 
that of Mr. Aldred, and he was elected at the election held in 
the spring of 1892. The present ofiicers are as follows: 

Mayor W. E. Ely. 

Recorder A. E. Smith. 

Treasurer J. L. McLaury. 

Assessor R. J. Jones. 

Street Commissioner George Rupner. 

Marshal George Rupner. 

f"C. M. Manville. 

j S. A. Dove. 
•Y ■ Charles Woodworth. 

iiustees J W.F. Aldred- 

I Asa Bowersock. 
[C. A. Tatum. 
Ocheyedan has one newspaper, pubhshed by Mr. Perk- 
ins. The paper was started in 1891, and its first issue on the 
7th day of August. The paper was started by D. A. W. 
Perkins, who intended it for his son, George W. Perkins, but 
while the material was still in the boxes at the freight depot, 
the boy was drowned in Silver lake, near Lake Park. Mr. 
Perkins, however, under the shadow of this terrible misfort- 
une, proceeded with its pubhcation and after an intermediate 
change it is still published by Mr. Perkins. The paper is a 
five-column quarto and the public spirit of Ocheyedan people 
is well manifested by giving the^ paper a liberal patronage 
which they have since the first issue, and its circulation is 
large and constantly increasing. The town is not numerous 
with secret societies, but a Masonic lodge has a complete or- 
ganization, with a hall finely furnished in the upper story of 
the building built by Joseph and Dominick Kout. There is 



212 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

what is called the Ocheyedan Lodge, I. O. G. T., of which C. 
M. Higley is C. T., and Mary McCallum, secretary. This 
society meets each week. The first postmaster in Ocheye- 
dan was D. H. Boyd, who was succeeded by A. V. Randall 
and he by E. N. Moore, the present postmaster. 

The town of Ocheyedan is in nearly the center of the 
eastern part of Osceola County, and hence as a trading point 
is favorably located. It has a fine farming country around and 
tributary to it, and its future is exceedingly promising. Every- 
thing is peaceable in the town, at the same time full of business 
activity. Ocheyedan socially is a model town. 

Its present most prominent business interests and citizens 
are as follows: 

Elevators — A. W. Harris & Co. (manager, John Harris) ; 
A. E. Brown (manager, A. D. Moreland.) 

Lumber — Bowersock Brothers; John Porter & Son (man- 
ager, W. F. Aldred.) 

General Stores — Mary Graves; J. W. Thomas & Son; 
Bunker Brothers; R.J. O. McGowan. 

Banks — Ocheyedan Bank; John Porter & Son. 

Drug Store — A. E. Smith. 

Hardware — Charles Wood worth. 

Hotel— S. A. Dove. 

Restaurant — W. F. Stimpson. 

Meat Market — C. Bowersock. 

Feed Store — A. J. Coulton. 

Livery Barn — E. D. Cleaveland. 

Agricultural House — Tatum Bros.; P^-ank Cleaveland; 
Bowersock Bros. 

Plarness Shop — C. A. Tatum & Son. 

Millinery— E. P. Johnson. 

Barber — Ed Becker. 

Contractors and Builders — Zeug Bros.; Fred Wheeler; 
C. L. Buchman; Kout Bros.; T. M. Spencer; McLagen 
& Son. 

Blacksmith — C. A. Spencer; Fred Meyer. 

Mason— E. N. Moore. 

Stock Buyers — C. M. Manville; Bowersock Bros. 

Furniture — Walton Bros. 

Newspaper — Ocheyedan Press. 

Postmaster — E. N. Moore. 

Physician— W. E. Ely. 

Lawyer — D. A. W. Perkins, 

Painter — Elmer Spencer. 




JAMES T. BARCLAY. 



214 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Clothing Store— T. H. Dravis. 

Well Borer— C. R. Boyd. 

Stockmen — C. A. Tatum; David Eicher. 

Clergymen— S. C. Olds; L. R. Fitch. 

Station Agent — O. L. Beck. 

Assistant Station Agent — A. O. Beck. 

Mr, T. R. Stewart, formerly in the land business here, is 
now with John Porter & Son; C. IM. Higley, formerly of 
Sheldon, is in the Ocheyedan Bank, and Frank Bumgardner 
is engaged in general farming and stock dealing. 

The interests of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and 
Northern in its track repairs are represented by John Wallace 
and P. Cramer. 

Eustace Manville is also in business here, and the cream- 
ery is under the management of Peter Jensen. A. V. Ran- 
dall has a crockery store and Mr. A. Arend has a shoe store. 
The Zeug Brothers have a building as a work shop and in 
which is a public hall. Daniel Weaver, though living in the 
countr}^ is the Ocheyedan jeweler. 

The prospect is that Ocheyedan will continue to have a 
substantial growth and will be a town of some importance. 



SIBLEY. 



The Sibley townsite is situated on section 13, in East Hol- 
man township. It was laid out by the land department of the 
Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Company, in 1872, and sub- 
sequent additions have been made, which are Chase's addition 
and East Sibley addition — the first by R. J. Chase and the last 
by several different parties, among whom are Jacob Brooks, 
H. S. Brown, Mrs. C. I. Hill, Wilbern Brothers, G. W. Mea- 
der and others. The first building erected on what is now the 
townsite was by F. M. Robinson, in the fall of 1871. The 
town was first named Cleghorn, and afterwards changed to 
Sibley, named after Gen. H. H. Sibley, of St. Paul. The 
Robinson building was on the shack order, and in which John 
L. Robinson, with his son Frank, lived during the winter of 
1871 and 1872 ; also, W. H, Rogers put up a store building, 
and this, with the Robinson building, constituted the town of 
Sibley that first winter. In the spring of 1872 a fellow by the 
name of Ward had a small building near Roger's store, and 
in which he kept a saloon. These buildings, on the start, were 
on what is Tenth street, the street where the old Pioneer hotel 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 215 

building now stands, and this point, then, was expected to be 
the centre of business, and was, until the fire hereafter men- 
tioned, when the town formed another location north of that, 
and where the business part of the town now is. Just before 
the railroad reached the townsite, D. L. McCausland hauled 
lumber from Mountain Lake, Minn., and put up a residence 
on the townsite, and this was the first residence building. Af- 
ter the road had been built into Sibley, in June, 1872, J. T. 
Barclay obtained lumber out of the first brought in, and im- 
mediately put up a residence, which he still occupies with his 
family. After McCausland got his building up he used it for 
a boarding house, and J. F. Glover, John Hawxshurst, with 
many others, were his boarders. The house was two-story, 
and in the hurry of its erectiort stairs were neglected, so that 
cleats were nailed on the studding for steps to get up and 
down. All who have had experiences as pioneers know how 
its out-door life, its expectations, and all its ambitious surround- 
ings, bring health to the cheek and puts one in the best of 
physical condition ; and the result of it all, an enormous appe- 
tite. McCausland's boarders became so ravenous, so anxious 
for their meals, and in such extraordinary quantities, that it 
kept Mc on the go to keep up with the demand. It is a won- 
der that it hadn't broke Mc up in business, for no doubt there 
were some who never missed a meal and who never paid a 
cent. 

The town did not get fairly started until in the summer of 
1872, after the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad, now the 
Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha, reached the town 
site, which was June i, 1872. Soon as the road-bed was in 
shape for hauling, lumber came in, and the first sales made 
were b}^ Levi Shell, who then established a lumber yard, and 
has continued in the business since, and is still here. Quite a 
number of business houses and residences were erected during 
that year; also the court house and school house. The Sibley 
Hotel was also built that year, and in the Sibley Hotel barn, 
then just completed, was held the exercises on the Fourth da}' 
of Jul}', which was the first celebration had on the town site. 
L. S. Fawcett, of Sioux City, delivered the oration, and John 
H. Douglass was captain of the whangdoodles. This day is 
remembered by the old settlers as a very cold one, making an 
overcoat quite comfortable. Sibley, in 1872, had the usual 
air and appearance of Western towns in their first starting. 
These are generally characterized by a feeling of independ- 
ence and a freedom to act unrestrained by the settled wa3^s of 



216 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

society and of social and religious organizations. It took the 
balance of that year (1872) for the men to get squared 
around with buildings for business and residences for their 
families. In 1873 the substantial conditions of society pre- 
vailed in Sibley and the usual town societies came into exist- 
ence. In March, 1873, the town was out of coal owing to the 
snow blockade, and people burned what they could get hold 
of until the blockade was lifted. E. L. Kinney, who died 
March 2, 1875, was the first landlord at the Sibley Hotel, and 
he is remembered by old settlers not only as a first-class land- 
lord, but as one of the best of men. 

The I. O. O. F. lodge was started in May, 1873, and among 
its first officers were: W. W. Cram, treasurer; J. T. Barclay, 
R. S. N. G., and J. H. Douglass, R. S. S. 

In June of that year there was considerable rain, and the 
mud was so deep that lumber was rafted down the Otter to 
build bridges at Doon. 

Some of the business men at Sibley then who are still here 
are Brown & Chambers, Robert Richardson, P. A. Cajacob, 
D. L. McCausland, J. T. Barclay, J. F. Glover, W. C. Grant, 
H. L. Emmert, Levi Shell, S. H. Westcott, David Littlechild, 
S. S. Parker, C. M. Mandeville, George Carew, W. R. Law- 
rence, Augustus O'Neill, A. W. Mitchell, W. J. Miller, J. P. 
Hawxshurst. 

In May, 1873, David Littlechild purchased a photograph 
gallery, and in his announcement said to the ladies: "Come 
and secure the shadow ere the substance fades." This was 
in the da3^s of Dave's youth and modesty, when he was con- 
tent with the shadow, but since then, in his increasing 3'ears of 
bachelorhood, he has been looking for the substance. 

David Littlechild was also in the livery business in 1872. 
This business required considerable driving, and Dave was 
more than once out in a blizzard when his life was in danger. 
In driving once from Spirit Lake to Sibley, a fearful snow 
storm overtook him; the weather was extremely cold, and he 
was unable to tell exactly where he was or where he could 
find shelter. Fort\inately, he was near the house of D. H. 
Boyd, near Ocheyedan, and saw it in a lull of the storm, and 
remained there until the blizzard was over. 

A. W. Mitchell established the first genuine furniture 
store, J. A. Cole was about the first druggist, and L. Garner 
about the first harness shop. 

The substantial lawyers, at that time, were J. T. Barclay, 
Hugh Jordan, J. F. Glover and R. J. Chase. Mr. Barclay 




C. W. BENSON. 



218 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

retired from the practice several years ago for other business 
interests. Hugh Jordan died in 1887, and R. J. Chase moved 
to Sioux City in November, 1874, where he is still in practice. 
Mr. Chase purchased eighty acres on the north side of Sibley, 
and laid out an addition, which now is well settled with fine 
residences. The writer knew Hugh Jordan well, and was 
interested with him in several litigated cases. He was a good 
lawyer, a prince of good fellows, a good citizen, and indulgent 
to his family and kind to all. D. D. McCallum studied law 
with Mr. Jordan, and was admitted in 1878. 

Wilbern Brothers were first in the agricultural implement 
business, and in the spring of 1873 retired from that, and 
opened a general store. 

In 1873, Robert Richardson had a meat market, and 
P. A. Cajacob also opened up in the same business in the 
spring. Mr. Richardson started in 1872. 

July 4th of that year, 1873, the people of Sibley had a 
celebration, which was largely attended. C. I. Hill was 
president of the day; L. G. Ireland, marshal. Mr. Jordan 
read the Declaration, and J. F. Glover delivered the oration. 
Porter P. Peck and C. I. Hill were on the finance commit- 
tee, and, having realized quite an amount on paper, they ex-' 
pended considerable of their own money, and at last had to 
foot many of the bills. They came out in an article in the 
paper afterwards and roasted the delinquents severely. They 
forgot the old admonition that the time to take up a subscrip- 
tion is when the coflin is being lowered into the grave, as 
wailing after the funeral is over is a dangerous chancing of 
contribution. 

Mr. Peck came to Sibley in 1872, and was for a while in 
business there under the firm name of Wetherell, Peck & Co. 
He is now a capitalist in Sioux Falls, and is mayor of the city. 

In July, 1873, a severe wind storm swept over Sibley, 
scattering lumber, blowing down a few barns, and carrying 
away the store signs. 

Charles Armbright was Sibley's first barber, and he was 
also at that time leader of the Sibley band. 

A military company, called the Osceola County Guards, 
was organized in 1873, with Robert Stamm orderl}'. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated Decem- 
ber 18, 1874. The services were conducted by Rev. R. H. 
Webb, assisted by Rev. John Webb. There was an indebt- 
edness of $400, and this was raised at the dedication. The 
Congregational Church was dedicated November 29, 1S74, 
the services conducted by W. L. Colman. 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 219 

July 4, 1874, ^^^'^ '^^^ celebrated. The president of the 
day was C. I. Hill, H. Jordan delivered the oration, J. F. Glo- 
ver read the Declaration, and C. M. Bailey was marshal. 

On the 7th da}' of November, 1873, Sibley was visited by 
fire. It started in the rear of Barber & Lawrence's drug 
store, and the cause of it was either from a stove in the back 
part of the building or by an incendiary. The losses, as then 
estimated, were : Barber «fe Lawrence, $900 ; A. H. Clark, 
groceries, $600 ; H. C. Kellogg, store, $1,200 ; Kelley & Wal- 
rath, dry goods, $1,244; J- ^- ^'ole, drugs, $2,000; Wilbern 
Bros.', stock, $1,100. This fire was a hard blow on Sibley 
then, but most of the losers soon rebuilt and were soon in 
business ajjain. 

C. L. Davidson, one of the prominent men of the North- 
west, who was an early settler in Sibley, now resides in Sioux 
Count3^ W. L. Parker established himself in the drug busi- 
ness at Sibley in 1S74. D. L. Riley, now at Iowa Falls, put 
in a grain warehouse in 1872; also a lumber ^^ard with W. C. 
Grant. D. M. Shuck was also in the lumber business. 

Sibley was incorporated as a town in the spring of 1876. 
Its first officers were: 

Mayor— D. L. Riley. 

Trustees — C. L. Norton, C E. Brown, D. Cramer, H. S. 
Brown, H. L. Emmert. 

Recorder — George S. Murphy. 

The first banking house was started by H. L. Emmert 
and C. I. Hill in 1873. Mr. Hill retired in 1S74. 

C. I. Hill was one of the early settlers in Sible}', and died 
a few years ago. He was a man of sterling integrit}^ of much 
public spirit, and he was a man much missed by the people of 
Sibley when he died. His widow still resides here. 

Rev. W. W. Mallory, a Methodist preacher, here in the 
seventies, was a man of strong, vigorous expression, yet of 
sincere convictions and an upright life. 

On the 2ist day of December, 1878, John L. Robinson 
celebrated his golden wedding. Mr. Robinson and his wife 
are still living at Sibley. 

Dr. J. M. Jenkins was Sibley's first physician, in 187 1, 
though Dr. Gurney, holding down a claim near here, was also 
in practice. Dr. Churchill was also here in 1871, and Dr. 
Mellin in 1872. 

The Sibley Gazette was started in July, 1872, by L. A. 
Barker. In May, 1873, he sold to Riley & Brown, who a few 
months after sold to E. H. Craig and John F. Glover. Mr. 



\ 



220 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

John Hawxshurst then succeeded Mr. Craig, and with Mr. 
Glover published the paper. Mr. Glover then retired, and 
Mr. Hawxshurst was sole proprietor. It was then Edwards 
& Reed, then Reed & Glover, then Glover, then Glover & 
Hawxshurst, then George Carew. Afterwards it was Perkins 
& Foster; then the paper returned to Mr. Carew again, who 
retained its ownership until in 1891, when the paper was sold 
to Ward & Co., who in turn sold to the Gazette Publishing 
Company, who are its present proprietors, under the manage- 
ment of J. A. Flower. It is the first paper pviblished in the 
county, and is Republican in politics. 

In 1S78, Sibley had seventy scholars in its school — forty- 
four in the higher department and sixteen in the primary. 

The Sibley Iribitne was started by Charles E. Crossly; 
then Dennis bought in, and in 1884 W. P. Webster bought 
Crossly out. In Novembei', 1890, G. L. Caswell purchased 
Dennis' interest, so that the present proprietors and publishers 
are W. P. Webster and G. L. Caswell, under the firm name 
of Webster & Caswell. It is a six column quarto, and is a 
Democratic paper, but not extremely partizan. 

There is also published the Sibley Saber, representing 
the order of Sons of Veterans. A. W. McCallum is editor-in- 
chief, and George A. Romey, general manager. 

The history of Sibley would be incomplete without a 
mention of Hon. Stephen Miller, ex-governor of Minnesota 
and who was, when Sibley started, representing the land de- 
partment of the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad Compan}^, 
and had personal control of the townsites along the line of the 
road in northwest Iowa. He was an intellectual, honest, no- 
ble man. His occasional visits to the different towns alwa3^s 
found the old settlers ready to greet him warmly, and he was 
highly respected b}- all, and died in 1880. Fie is buried at 
Worthington, Minn. It would also be incomplete without a 
mention of Gen. J. W. Bishop, who was then manager of the 
above named railroad and for whom an}' fulsome praise is un- 
necessary, as his standing, his character, and his business in- 
tegrity, are too well known and too well remembered b}' all 
of us of the early days. The business men of Sibley, early 
in the seventies, had a hard time of it, as well as did the home- 
steaders. The settlers were poor, generally so by reason of 
being poor when they came here, and then by grasshoppers 
suffered a failure of crops afterwards. It was hard to refuse 
them credit altogether, and a great many were carrried along 
on book account, expecting each year to realize a harvest. 




w- 



KER D. DUNLOP. 



222 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

Those of the settlers who staid here were, after a while, able 
to meet their obligations, while others got out of the country 
in the darkness of night, driven to desperation in their condi- 
tion of poverty and debt, and. of course the business men of 
Sibley in all such cases were losers. Others went away in 
broad daylight, after informing their creditors of their ina- 
bility to pay, and making promises for the future. Many of 
these, as the years went by and the debt became ancient, were 
after a while indifferent, and, even with the best of intentions 
originally, never paid. The merchants, of course, were the 
losers. 

Sibley in its present condition is a town of about fifteen 
hundred inhabitants. It is the abode of considerable wealth, 
is a very fine business point, and of high social character. It 
has the best of educational facilities, is a peaceable town, has 
verv fine residences and commanding brick business houses. 

Of its banks, are the First National, capital $50,000 ; C. 
E. Brown, president ; H. L. Emmert, cashier ; directors, L. 
Shell, R. S. Hall, N. Boor, C. E. Brown, H. L. Emmert. 

There is also the Northwestern State Bank. It has a 
capital of $75,000, and its last quarterly statement shows cash 
deposits amounting to $264,695.62. J. W. Orde is president, 
E. Baker, vice-president, L. Dawn, cashier. 

IOWA LAND COMPANY (LIMITED.) 

This company was organized early in the eighties, prin- 
cipally by the Close Bros., who several years ago left the 
county and ceased to operate in Northwest Iowa. Its busi- 
ness here is now managed by C. W. Benson and Ker. D. 
Dunlop, both of whom are men of the highest business integ- 
rity and gentlemen in every sense of the word. This com- 
pany, without question, has advanced the business interests of 
the town and the settlement of the county. They have opened 
up farms, brought settlers in, and given opportunities to men 
without means to work and raise crops and become land own- 
ers themselves. During their business career here they have 
foreclosed only one mortgage, and this was for the purpose of 
settling title, in which the mortgagee himself had an interest. 
They have erected substantial brick buildings in the town, 
and their investments here have been a benefit to all as well 
as profitable to themselves. They control a large number of 
acres of land, both improved and unimproved. John H. Doug- 
las is connected with this land com pan}' in certain departments 
of its business. 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNT2\ IOWA. 223 

J. T. BARCLAY. 

This gentleman, formerly a lawyer, now is principally 
engaged in real estate. He issues each month a land journal, 
and in his August number says : "The town is well supplied 
with business houses, newspapers, flouring mills and elevators, 
and is now eager to secure manufactories of all kinds. Such 
a growing town, in the midst of an elegant farming country, 
is bound to make land and farms near it very valuable in a 
short time." Mr. Barclay handles land principally with his 
own capital, buys and sells, and his continued operations 
through grasshopper times, and up to the present, have helped 
largely the settlement of the county. We quote somewhat 
from his latid journal as to other business interests in Sibley. 

M. M. TRAINER 

is Sibley's efficient and popular dentist. Mr. Trainer thor- 
oughly understands his business, and is among the most 
prominent dentists in the Northwest. 

T. H. DRAVIS, 

the "Square-Dealing Clothier," has one of the finest stocks of 
exclusive clothing and gent's furnishing goods to be found in 
the West. 

WILLIAM COTTRILL 

is one of Sibley's most extensive harness dealers. 

J. W. KAYE 

is an efficient and accurate abstracter, and whose office is with 
Lawyer O. J. Clark. 

C. A. SANDERS 

is the popular caterer in the City Bakery and Restaurant, on 
the south side of Ninth Street. 

LEONARD & CARMICHAEL, 

dealers in lumber, wood and coal, are one of the largest firms 
in this line in the Northwest. 

D. L. m'causland 

is in the insurance and loan business, and, as will be noticed 
elsewhere, is one of the first settlers and was first County 
Recorder. 



224 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

JOE GATES, 

tlie boot and shoe man, is located just west of the post-office. 

G. F. BRAND 

conducts what he calls the "Palace Grocery" in the Lansing 
& Brown building. 

JOHN DE BOOS 

is proprietor of the Third Avenue hardware store. 

IlEIM, THE PHOTOIST, 

has the only photograph gallery in Sibley. 

J. C. BRICKNER 

is a popular grocer, and does a good trade. His picture will 
be found on another page. 

WILLIAM RIDDLEBARGER 

is proprietor of the Bargain Store. 

MRS. KNIGHT 

conducts a fashionable millinery store through her assistant 
here, Mrs. Evans. 

J. B. CAJACOB 

conducts the harness shop on the west end of Ninth street. 

A. BUCHMAN & SON 

are proprietors of a grocery store on Third avenue. 

V. B. GUTHRIE 

has a very fine barber shop under the Northwestern State 
Bank. He is assisted by M. L. Workheiser. 

ARMIN & SHELL 

have an extensive lumber yard. Mr. Shell was on the ground, 
as elsewhere stated, in 1872. 

J. WEBBER 

is proprietor of Central meat market. 

LAMME & m'kENNA. 

These young men are successors of Grant cS: Milner. 
They handle agricultural implements. 




R. y. CHASE, 



226 HISTOKr OF OSCEOLA COUNTr, IOWA. 

CIGAR FACTORY. 

This has just been started by Nic Koerting, of Le Mars. 

WM. SMITH 

is proprietor of a new restaurant and boarding house on Ninth 
street. 

NIC KIMIMLINGER 

is Sibley's merchant tailor. 

J. BROOKS, 

who is one of the early settlers, has a flour and feed store. 

A. ROMEY 

has a general store next door to the Osceola House. Mr. 
Romey is an old settler in the county, as our readers have 
already noticed. 

W, R. LAWRENCE 

operates a drug store and grocery on the north side of Ninth 
street. He is an old resident of Sibley and Osceola County. 

ROBERT RICHARDSON 

has a butcher shop, and we notice in tiie 1873 Sibley paper 
that the same Robert had a butcher shop then. 

W. E. PARKER 

has a drug store, and erected the building he occupies, a pic- 
ture of which is in this book, in 1891. Mr. Parker is one of 
the early settlers. 

W^\LTON BROTHERS 

have a very extensive furniture store in the Academy of Music 
block. These are E. Walton and H. E. Walton. 

THE siblp:y hotel. 

Sibley hotels are fully up to the demands of the town. 
The Sibley Hotel, conducted by H. L. Leland, is located near 
the Omaha depot. 

THE OSCEOLA HOUSE 

is located on the north side of Ninth Street, in the business 
center of the town. It is conducted by John Hickok, and 
managed by Hickok Brothers. 



HTSTORr OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 'i'l'^i 

J. B. LENT 

is dealing entirely in farming machinery of all kinds. 

ECKERMAN BROTHERS. 

This firm are successors to Davidson & Eckerman in the 
implement business. 

J. B. GREY 

has in full operation one of the best creameries in the State. 
The output of his institution the past year ranks among the 
highest of any in the Northwest. 

PEAVY & CO. 

One of this company's elevators is located at Sibley. 
J. T. Grow is their manager at this place. 

B. MILLER 

is city drayman and transfer man. 

H. E. PERRY, 

mail and express transfer man, and general delivery. 

F. E. CRAM 

is bridge builder and house mover. Also agent for the Austin 
steel reversible road machines and well drills. 

J. L. DURFEE 

delivers milk at Sibley houses every day. 

MRS. KENNY 

conducts classes in instrumental music in Sibley. 

MRS. WILDER 

has a large class in vocal and instrumental music. 

MISS GRACE CAMPBELL 

conducts classes in instrumental music in Sibley, Ashton, and 
Bigelow, Minn. 

E. F. BEAUMONT 

is Sibley's artistic wielder of the brush, and a professional 
paper hanger. 



\ 



228 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTT, IOWA. 

SIBLEY MARBLE WORKS. 

M. J. North looks after the monument business. 

TOBEY BROS. 

are dealers in agricultural implements and farm supplies. 

L. D. BARNES 

conducts a tin shop and deals in small hardware in the build- 
ing next to Webber's meat market. 

B. A. WILDER, 

physician and surgeon, has had forty-two years' experience in 
homo^pathic methods. 

H. NEILL, 

is Sibley's oldest physician and surgeon. 

MRS. HAHN MILLINERY. 

She keeps hats, bonnets, hoods, ribbons, tips, bridal 
wreaths, China silks, etc. 

Y. A. HOWARD 

is an extensive dealer in all kinds of school furniture. 

LAWYERS. 

The lawyers of Sibley are C. M. Brooks, D. D. McCul- 
lum, O. J. Clark, G. W. Lister and John F. Glover. Mr. 
Glover is the oldest in point of residence, and Mr. McCullum 
also does an extensive pension business. Mr. Lister is County 
Attorney. Mr. Clark has been in Sibley about ten years. 
Mr. McCullum served a term as Circuit Judge in that judicial 
district, and is mentioned elsewhere as an old resident. The 
bar is well represented and Sibley's lawyers are efficient and 
able practitioners. 

LONG & SCHLEGEL 

are land, loan and insurance agents, south side of Ninth street. 

JOHN A. FLOWER 

is county surveyor and also manager of the Sibley Gazette. 

LEISCII & BRODT. 

A. Leisch and C. H. Brodt are the oldest draymen in the 
city. 




JOHN ROBERTSON. 



230 ittsTotir OF OSCEOLA covNTr. lowA. 

A. W. MITCHELL 

is a milk dealer. Mr. Mitchell is spoken of elsewhere as one 
of the early settlers. 

G. W. HEADER 

has an extensive hardware store, and elsewhere in this book 
is a picture of his building, 

LIVERY STARLES. 

These are represented by Littlechild Bros, and Joe Gill. 

W. II. STEWART. 

Mr. Stewart is veterinary surgeon. 

C. W. LO\^'RY, 

proprietor of the Sibley Steam Laundry. 

D. F. CAUGHEY, 

is proprietor of City Laundry. 

CLINT HUDSON 

is handling the Dustless grain and grass seed cleaner and 
separator. 

HENRY NEWELL 

is the efficient young manager of the business of the Chicago, 
St. Paul, Milwaukee & Omaha Railway at this station. 

GEO. W. BAXTER 

is the good natured gentleman who attends to the wants of 
the patrons of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids &. Northern 
Railway. He is assisted b}^ C. A. Thompson. 

Sibley is having something of a boom in fine residences 
this year. A. W. Harris, grain dealer, has erected a large 
house of modern architecture. A Shapley, a retired farmer, 
has the foundation in for a large and commodious dwelling in 
which he proposes to take life easy for the remainder of his 
days. Geo. Carew, the veteran newspaper man, is com- 
fortably situated in a large, well built residence. Mrs. C. I. 
Hill has a fine residence just completed which is an ornament 
to the city. There are several smaller residences which have 
been constructed this spring. 

Amonjif its other business men are 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 281 

W. B. STEVENS. 

A picture of this gentleman and his residence will be 
found elsewhere in this book. He has an extensive drug 
store; also a line of jewelry and hardware. 

SIBT.EY ROLl.ER MILLS. 

Sibley boasts of the best and most complete roller flour- 
ing mills in the State, with a capacity of seventy-five barrels 
per day. It is rushed with business every hour. Its makes of 
flour are considered equal to those of any mills in the country, 
and their field of trade extends to England. J. W. Orde and 
G. B. Gurney appear as its proprietors, with Ciiarles Himes 
miller, and Guv P. Elliott as an interested part}', and also M. 
A. Harbord. 

BLOTCKY BROTHERS 

have dry goods, clothing, groceries, etc. 

IIINLKEY & TAYLOR 

have a general store. Mr. Taylor is manager, and his picture 
is elsewhere in this book. 

E. F, ROBINSON 

is the proprietor of the Postotfice book and news store. 

BROWN & CHAMBERS. 

This firm has been spoken of elsewhere as on the ground 
at an earl}' day. In 1S90 the}' erected a brick building at a 
cost of $15,000, a picture of which is on another page. They 
carry a stock of general merchandise. 

IRA BRUNSON 

is eniraored in the jreneral land business. 

WILLIAM PROPER, 

one of the pioneers, is a resident of Sibley. 

DANIEL MAHONEY 

is a resident, and is road-master on the Burlington, Cedar 
Rapids and Northern Railroad. 

JACK IIANNA, 

one of the old residents, is now in the land business. 



2B2 ntSTORT op OSCEOLA COVNTT. IOWA. 

JOHN SCHESTAG 

is boot and shoe maker and repairer. 

Gus o'neil, 

paper hanger and painter, kalsominer and plasterer. 

Others of Sibley's business and professional men are as 
follows : 

Brand & Suter, contractors and builders. 

A. M. Mastick, wagon maker, 

A. M. Culver, carpenter and builder. 

Ed. Garland, blacksmith. 

S. J. Cram, carpenter and builder. 

A. L. Blackmore, blacksmith. 

H. C. Mory, carpenter and builder. 

J. Grant, blacksmith. 

C. H. Manderville, carpenter. 

J. W. Flint, plasterer and mason. 

H. G. Upp, carpenter and mechanic. 

Charles Anderson, plasterer. 

Joe Hillerns, blacksmith. 

N. H. Brand, carpenter. 

T. W. Turk, painter and decorator. 

SCHOOLS. 

Sibley has an elegant High School building with eight 
rooms. The teachers are all the best that can be had, which 
makes the schools very thorough. A large number of scholars 
from other places attend here. 

CHURCHES. 

Sibley has six church societies and five fine buildings. 
The Catholic, Methodist, Congregational, Baptist, Episcopal 
and German Evangelical. All support good ministers and 
have a large attendance. 

CIVIC SOCIETIES. 

Sible}' has numerous fraternal orders and all in a prosper- 
ous, healthy condition. They consist of the Masons, Odd 
Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Grand Army of the Republic, 
Sons of V^cterans, Modern Woodmen, Order of the Eastern 
Star, Daughters of Rebecca, W. R. C, L. A. S., W. C. T. U., 
I. O. G. T. The Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, 
G. A. R., and Good Templars all have halls of their own. 




H. C. WEBB. 



234 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 

E. J. FAIRBROTHER 

is a pioneer, and is an active, intelligent gentleman, eight}^- 
one years of age. 

S. A. COLBURN 

is selling sewing machines. 

F. C. ALMONT AND A. SCHMITS 

have established wagon and carriage works, with paint shop 
attachment. 

GEORGE T. \ OORHEES AND H. C. WKBB 

are engaged extensively in the land business. The pictures 
of both of these gentlemen are in the book. 

W. J. MILLER 

is in the land and loan business. He is one of the early set- 
tlers. 

JOHN p. IIAWXSHURST 

is doing abstracting and real estate work. Mr. Hawxshurst 
figures in the early history of the county. 

H. E. THAYER 

came to Sibley in 1S92, from O'Brien Count}^ He is engaged 
in the real estate business with J. T. Barcla3\ 

DR. CRAWHALL 

is established over Brown Ik Chambers' store. 

The Sibley municipal officers are as follows: 

Mayor — J. F. Glover. 

Recorder — W. P. Webster. 

Treasurer — ^J. Fred Mattert. 

Marshal — John Morrow. 

Councilmen — G. O. Learned, E. Walton, C. E. Brown, 
A. Romey, J. T. Barclay, John DeBoos. 

Street Commissioner — R. L. Norris. 

Assessor — John Townsend. 

Sibley has two railroads, the Chicago, St. Paul, Minne- 
apolis and Omaha, which crosses the townsite north and south, 
and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern, which crosses 
east and west. 

A picture of J. C. Trainer appears elsewhere in the book. 



nrSTORl OF OSCEOLA C0UNT1-, IOWA. 235 

This gentleman was for several years principal of the public 
schools in Sibley, and left an impression of thorough scholar- 
ship and the best of school training upon all who came under 
his instruction or in contact with him. He died a few years 
ago, and his death caused a feeling of sadness in the entire 
community. 

WII.BERN BROTHERS. 

These gentlemen are engaged extensively in business, 
principally in real estate. They will be remembered from 
reading elsewhere as early settlers in the town. 

So far as the writer can gather from investigation and 
inquiry, the foregoing comprise the business interests of Sib- 
ley. If any have been omitted it is unintentional. 

The churches in Sibley are the following : 

CONGREGATIONAL. 

Services every Sunday morning at 10:30 nnd evening at 
8 o'clock. Sabbath school immediately after the morning 
services. Prayer meeting on Thursday evening. Rev. P. B. 
West, pastor. 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL. 

Services ever}' Sunday morning and evening. Sabbath 
school at 2:30 o'clock in the afternoon. Prayer meeting every 
Thursday evening. Rev. C. Artman, pastor. 

BAPTIST. 

Services every Sunday morning and evening in the 
church. Sabbath school from 12 to i o'clock p. m. Prayer 
meeting ever}' Thursday evening. Rev. R. Bradshaw, pastor. 

ST. John's episcopal church. 

Located on the corner of Eighth street and Sixth avenue. 
Services each Sunday. J. W. Orde officiating as minister. 

ST. Mary's church of siblev. 

Services each alternate Sunday. Father Dollard, pastor. 

Sibley is having a gradual growth. Some new building 
seems to be in process of erection all the time, and electric 
lights and water works will soon be the order of the day. 



k 



CHAPTER XXII. 

Since writing the preceding chapters in this book there 
has come under the writer's observation an article written by 
some clever writer in 1876 on the history of V^ioki township, 
and, although it may be somewhat on the order of repetition, 
I will here reproduce it. We think it was written by Peter 
Shaw: 

" VioivA Township, December 2, 1876. — In accordance 
with the proclamation of Samuel J. Kirkwood, the Governor 
of Iowa for 1876, the Centennial year, the one hundredth 
anniversary of America, that the several township clerks of 
each county be requested to write a sketch or history of their 
townships, though I am not much skilled in writing history or 
anything that would be of much interest to the people, I will 
endeavor to write something. 

"This township was first settled A. D. 1871. The first 
settlers, or rather the pioneer settlers as we term them, were 
as follows: C. C. Collison, John Smith, J. F. Van Emburgh, 
H. W. Tinkum, G. W. Ketchum, J. T. Sage, John Stamm, 
Hugh and Oren Jones, W. H. Gates, and Mrs. Beeman, Mrs. 
Jane Smith and Miss Carrie Smith. These comprise the 
pioneers. C. C. Collison, John Smith and John Stamm were 
the first. C. C. Collison built the first house that was built in 
the township. There was considerable breaking done that 
year, and some sod corn raised and a few potatoes. The set- 
tlers worked at a great disadvantage in building, as there was 
no timber within fifteen or twenty miles and no lumber within 
fifty miles, till late in the fall the cars came as far as Worth- 
ington, a distance of eighteen miles, the St. Paul Railroad 
being completed no further. So most of the first settlers 
built sod houses to live in, which made very comfortable 
houses for the homesteaders of Viola. But they had a pretty 
severe winter to go through. They had their wood to haul 
from fifteen to twenty miles, which made snug work to keep 
warm, as they had not learned to burn hay at that time. 

"Mr. Beeman was frozen to death. He got caught out 
in a blizzard on his way home from the Big Rock River, 
where he had been after a load of corn. He left a wife and 
several children to provide for themselves in the dead of win- 
ter in the wilds of Osceola. Though the pioneers came out 



238 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

in the spring fat and smoking, for their houses were mostly 
covered over with snow, as the snow fell very deep that winter. 

"The settlers of A. D. 1872, were as follows: Peter 
Shaw, John H. Douglass, N. I. Wetmore, S. Ford, Abram 
Shapley, John Hart, M. D. Hadsell, C. C. Hadsell, E. Headley, 
C. C. Ogan, E. S. Bennett, C. G. Bennett, William Rubow, 
A. Averill, D. Averill, O. Averill, A. B. Graves, E. Mulmex, 
S. Smith, E. Smith, John Tann, W. M. Barnard, J. Blair, J. S. 
Patterson, George Carew, L. Clark, G. S. Downend, D. B. 
Wood, £. Nulton, J. Farren, H. Graham, T. W. Graves, H, 
Jordan, L, McConnell, P. L. Piesley, Levi Shell, C. T. Torrey, 
P. Wilcox, M. Winchester, J. F. Ransom, A. Van Blockham. 
These were the settlers of '72. But the settlers of '72 had 
great advantages over the settlers of '71- The St. Paul Rail- 
road being completed to Sibley in the early part of June, lum- 
ber and wood were within three to eight miles, and the settlers 
went right to work and built their several shanties, and then 
proceeded to break and plant sod corn and potatoes and gar- 
dens, and as it was a fine growing season, they had fine crops 
for sod crops. Some rented land that had been broken the 
year before, and had an excellent crop from it. I raised 206 
bushels of wheat off of nine and one-half acres of late breaking 
that season. Most of the settlers that year raised their vege- 
tables and feed for their teams, but most of them had their 
meat and flour to buy till the next fall. 

"Viola Township was organized in the fall of 1872, and 
held its first election in John H. Douglass' shanty. The fol- 
lowing township officers were elected: Peter Shaw, town- 
ship clerk; M. D. Hadsell and John Smith, justices of the 
peace; Jackson Blair, assessor; T. J. Stage, C. C. Hadsell, 
C. G. Bennett, trustees; C. C. Ogan and John Stamm, con- 
stables; Hugh Jones, road supervisor; U. S. Grant, president 
of the United States, re-elected; John H. Douglass, sheriff of 
Osceola County, Iowa. The township polled thirty-six votes, 
but part of the officers went away that winter and left their 
offices vacant. The following persons were appointed to fill 
vacancies: W. H. Gates and David Wood, trustees; N. I. 
Wetmore, assessor; John Hart, road supervisor; Abram 
Shapley, justice of the peace; Mr. Shapley did not qualify. 

"The first blacksmith shop was erected by J. F. Van 
Emburgh in 1871, and in 1872 Abram Shapley built another 
shop. 

" The first school house was erected in the summer of 
1872 on the southwest quarter of Section 25, and called the 



HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 239 

Gates School House, and Miss Carrie Smith was the first 
teacher. She taught a term of six months. The first half of 
the term was taught in one part of C. C. CoUison's house, and 
three months in the Gates School House. The next two 
school houses were built in the spring of 1875, one on the 
northwest corner of Section 20, the other one on the northeast 
ijuarter of Section 32. The first school directors were M. D. 
Hadsell, N. I. Wetmore and D. B. Wood. 

"The first Sabbath school was organized in the summer 
of 1 87 1 and held at H. W. Tinkham's, and has been held 
every summer in different parts of the township. In the sum- 
mer of 1875 the Sunday school officers were all lady officers, 
with Mrs. Ripley as superintendent. 

"The first church society was organized by Brother 
Mallory, of Sibley, in the winter of 1875 and 1876, at the 
Greaves School House, but meetings had been held by diff^er- 
ent denominations. Since the summer of 1872, Revs. B. A. 
Dean, Brashears, Webb, Lowrie and several others have held 
regular appointments here. G. W. Ketchum's sod house was 
used for the first meeting house, till the Gates School House 
was built. 

" The first white child born in the township was the 
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Nims, in June, 1S71, and 
was the first child born in the county, but it only lived to the 
age of 18 months. 

" The deaths have been but few. The first was Mr. Bee- 
man, who was frozen to death in Lyon county in the winter 
of 1 87 1 and 1872, in a blizzard, some time in February, while 
on his way home from the Big Rock, where he had been 
after a load of corn. The next was the daughter of Mr. and 
Mrs. Nims. The next was Mrs. Jennings, the daughter of 
Mrs. Abram Shapley, who died very suddenly at Mr. G. S. 
Downend's with heart disease. The next was Mr. Wright- 
mire, though a resident of Minnesota. The next was Mrs. C. 
Collison, died in March, 1S76. The next was Mrs. Eliza J. 
Smith, died in April, 1876. Mrs. Collison and Mrs. Smith 
died but a month apart, and came into the county together in 
1872, and lived near neighbors and were highly esteemed by 
all who knew them. Mrs. Collison left a large family of small 
children. Mrs. Smith was the mother of John, Samuel, Edwin 
and Carrie Smith. She took a homestead when she came, 
and had lived within a few weeks of her five years on the 
homestead. 

" The first married couple was Mr. John Tann to Miss 



240 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Carrie A. Smith, in Sibley, at the parsonage, by Elder Webb, 
January i, 1873. The next was Edwin Smith to Miss Greaves, 
and several of the bachelors have married out of the county. 
They have all taken a better half except Joseph Farren and J. 
T. Sage, who still are waiting. 

" The heaviest farmers are Abram Shapley, Peter Shaw, 
G. S. Downend, P. L. Piesley, J. Blair, J. Farren, W. H. 
Gates, A. Averill, A. B. Greaves, John Tarn, M. D. Hadsell, 
S. F. Smith, Ed. Smith and C. C. Colhson. 

" So far the farmers have had rather discouraging farm- 
ing on account of the grasshoppers. They came here in June, 
1873, and destroyed the greater part of the crops that year, 
so that the people had to apply for assistance in the way of 
relief. The State Legislature appropriated $50,000 to the 
grasshopper sufferers in the way of seed grain. But in 1874 
the 'hoppers hatched here and came in from Minnesota, and 
hurt the crop from about one-fourth to a third. In 1875 the 
crops were good except corn and oats, which were badly 
eaten by the pests. But the people began to feel considerably 
encouraged, and in 1876, the centennial year, they went in as 
if they were going to make up for losses, and put in every 
foot of ground that they had broken. And the grain was 
looking fine and promising until within a few days of harvest- 
ing, when the 'hoppers came again from the north in great 
numbers and waded into the grain, and destroyed almost the 
entire crop in this township. So most of the farmers are 
bankrupt, without seed or money. 

" Many of the settlers were compelled to go away for the 
winter in order to make a living for their families and get 
something to seed their places with for the next year. Some 
are too poor to get away and have been compelled to prove 
up on their homesteads and mortgage their places to raise 
money to carry them till they can raise another crop. The 
people nearly all burn hay for fuel because they have not the 
wherewith to buy anything else to burn, but if all other ne- 
cessities could be remedied as easily as the fuel we could man- 
age to get along very well. As it is, most of the farmers will 
be compelled to let part of their farms lie still next year, for 
the want of means to get seed to seed their lands. Most of 
the farmers did considerable breaking this season, and now 
have more ground broken than they have the means to carry 
on. There were about fifteen hundred acres broken in this 
township this summer. The lands in this township are very 
rich and productive, and the face of the country is most beau- 




DIEDRICH WASSMANN. 



HISTORl OF OSCEOLA COC'.VTl', IOWA. 245 

tiful, just rolling enough to drain well, and it is as well watered 
as any part of Osceola county. It has the Otter creek run- 
ning through on the east, the Little Rock on the west and the 
Muddy creek on the north. These streams all have fine grass 
land along them, which produces the best of hay for stock. It 
is not only good farming land, but well adapted to raising 
stock and the dairying business. We have one cheese factory 
in the township, which is owned by Davad B. Wood, and is 
located in the center of the township. All that is lacking now 
is the means to get the stock to make it one of the most pro- 
ductive townships in the northwest. Some new settlers have 
settled in this township." 



I 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

TOWNSHIPS. 

To Start on there were only three townships. The con- 
gressional township running east and west across the county, 
numbered lOO, was called Horton Township ; the same run- 
ning east and west across the county, numbered 99, was called 
Holman Township, and the same numbered 98 called Goewey 
Township. These remained in that way until October 7, 
1872, when the board divided Horton Township into three 
townships, making section 100, range 42, Fenton, section 100, 
range 41, Wilson, and section 100, range 40, and section 100, 
range 39, Horton. Afterwards, by a demand of the people 
in that township, Fenton was changed to Viola. Fairview w-as 
set off September 7, 1874. Holman Township remained as 
established until at the September 27, 1873, meeting the board 
made two townships out of the four, making the east, being 
section 99, range 39, and section 99, range 40, one township, 
and giving the name Ocheyedan. These townships, remain- 
ing the same as Holman, comprise two congressional town- 
ships, and Ocheyedan two, which for convenience sake are 
called East and West Ocheyedan. At the January i, 1884, 
meeting, Oilman Township was set off by itself. June 7? 1875, 
the board passed a resolution that township 98, range 40, be 
set off and called Baker, except sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 
and sections 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 28, 29 and 
30, in township 98, range 39. Harrison was set off Septem- 
ber 3, 1888, and that fall had its first election. 

EDUCATIONAL. 

If there is any one thmg that is distinctly American, it is 
our educational system, which offers to each rising generation 
the grandest facilities for scholarship that can be found in the 
world. 

The American boy knows no barrier to distinction in the 
line of education save in himself. Iowa is not behind any other 
state in the Union in its legislative provisions concerning 
schools, and Osceola Count}^ as a part of the great state, is 
ever active in the organization of its school districts and their 
effective management. 










MARV I.. MiCAI.LUM. 




'JMn 



Mmm 



H. G. DOOLITTLE. 



IIISTORl OF OSCEOLA COVNTT, IOWA. 251 

If an}' boy or girl lives in Osceola County during their 
school days, and grows to manhood or womanhood here with- 
out a good common school education, the fault must be charged 
to the parent or the child and not to lack of opportunity. 

Immediately upon the formation of the civil townships, 
as made by the Woodbury County Board, the same townships 
by operation of law became school districts, and the school 
townships now are the same in size and name as the civil 
townships, 

F. W. Hahn is the present County Superintendent of 
Schools, and his official management in that department is 
efficient and highly satisfactory. 

There are at present in the county eighty-one school 
houses, as follows : 

Fairview - 3 

Horton 6 

W ilson 6 

Viola 6 

Ocheyedan I2 

Harrison 7 

Baker 7 

Goewey 7 

Gilman 8 

Holman i5 

Sibley, town 2 

Ocheyedan, town i 

Ashton. town i 

The value of Osceola County school houses is estimated 
at v$44,ooo ; the value of school house apparatus at $2,000. 

The present school otlicers are as follows : 

FAIRVIEW. 

President— J. C. Ward. 

Secretary — M. B. Smith. 

Treasurer — Wm. Mowthorpe. 

Directors — Geo. Hamilton, B. F. Webster. 

HORTON. 

President — Dick Wassmann. 
Secretary — ^John Robertson. 
Treasurer — N. W. Emery. 
Directors— I. B. Titus, August Bremer. 



252 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

WILSON. 

President— W. A. Cloud. 
Secretary — A. B. Evarts. 
Treasurer — Will Thomas. 

Directors— W. C. Connor, Mons. Soren, C. E. Yates, F. 
A. Klampe, Joseph Zweck. 

VIOLA. 

President — Joseph Raine. 
Secretary — George Downend. 
Treasurer — J. P. Wallran. 
Directors— S. Newman, Pat Piesley. 

HOLMAN. 

President — W. L. Taylor. 

Secretary — M. Harvey. 

Treasurer — P. A. Cajacob. 

Directors — T. Ling, John Gallagher, Thomas Reycraft, 
D. W. Whitney, John Karpen, James Hunter, O. C. Staplin, 
John Schroeder, Will Morse, J. B. Jenny, John Wagner, John 
Melcher. 

OCHEYEDAN. 

President— W. E. Ely. 

Secretary — E. N. Moore. 

Treasurer — L. B. Boyd. 

Directors — G. W. Thomas, Joseph Smith. 

HARRISON. 

President — J. W. Wardrip. 

Secretary — T. Heinmig. 

Treasurer — F. H. Newkirk. 

Directors — George Krukenberg, Daniel Tzards. 

BAKER. 

President — Hans Graves. 
Secretary — C. W. Br3^an. 
Treasurer — W. H. Lean. 
Directors — J. L. McAnnich, Fred. Kuester. 

, GOEWEY. 

President'— H. C. Allen. 
Secretary — Henry Huffman. 
Treasurer — Alex. Gilkinson. 

Directors — O. B. Harding, A. Brunson, Charles Bangert, 
Jacob Brandt, George Spaulding, Eugene Girton. 




M. A. TATUM. 




A. E. BEAUMONT 



I 



mSrOKT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 257 

OILMAN. 

President — B. T. Pettingell. 
Secretary — J. C. Wilmarth. 
Treasurer — W. C. Craig. 

Directors — A. Schent, R. Lensen, H. H. Nolte, R. J. 
Stemm, E. Beckwith, Nels Porter. 

INDEPENDENT DISTRICT OF SIBLEY. 

President— H. Neill. 
Secretary — W. P. Webster. 
Treasurer — Levi Shell. 

Directors — A. Romey, M. J. Campbell, J. B. Lent, Geo. 
Learned, W. H. Chambers. 

INDEPENDENT DISTRICT OF ASHTON. 

President — I. B. Lucas. 
Secretary — J. W. Reagan. 
Treasurer — W. L. Benjamin. 
Directors — N. Boor, H. S. Grant. 

The school sections, so-called, are numbered sixteen in 
each township, which were donated by the general govern- 
ment, to the State, for the benefit of the schools. These sec- 
tions are sold, and the proceeds constitute a fund which re-- 
mains and not disposed of, but it is loaned out upon good real 
estate security, and the income from it by way of interest, is 
distributed over the State to each township according to its 
number of scholars. Osceola County has now of this fund, 
and as proceeds from the sale of land in this county, about 
$100,000. The first sale made of school lands in Osceola, 
was in July, 1881, and the first quarter sold was bought by 
Close Bros, in Oilman Township. These school lands have 
all been disposed of except one quarter, and this will go to 
sale soon. 

There are in Osceola County at the present time, about 
twenty-one hundred persons of school age, and the best of 
teachers are secured, so that our schools are of a high order 
and the means of much advancement. Several school build- 
ings have been erected this present season. Prof. Trainer, 
mentioned elsewhere, did much for Osceola County in the line 
of education. He constantly contributed to the public press 
articles intended to stimulate the young in the line of their 
studies. The followmg is one of his contributions : 

16 



258 HISTORY OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

"A PLEA FOR THE CHILDREN. 

"Children hunger perpetually for new ideas. They will 
learn with pleasure from the lips of others what they deem 
drudgery to study in books; and even if they have the mis- 
fortune to be deprived of many educational advantages, they 
grow up intelligent people. 

"We sometimes see people who are the life of every com- 
pany which they enter, dull, silent and uninteresting among 
children; such cannot teach. The teacher must be the life of 
the school. How can we expect life and energy to come from 
dry, cold, silent books! The use of books is a detriment 
rather than an aid to the younger pupils. When the pupil 
enters school at the age of five years he already has learned 
more than any teacher on earth can teach him in a long life 
time. Teachers, did you ever think that the child at that age 
has learned two of the most difficult things mortals have to 
learn — walking and talking .'^ How many works in philosophy 
has it been necessary for him to consult ? What university 
has he graduated from to be able to walk perfectly? What 
authors on language has he studied, or how many lectures on 
philosophy has he heard to be able to make known his 
thoughts by talking. We know that these and a thousand 
other attainments have been reached by doing for himself. 
Yet without a knowledge of these things, from the first hour 
the child enters school many teachers attempt to change the 
whole course of nature by forcing upon him that which is as 
foreign to his nature as day is from night. What we need is 
the teacher who will give the children a chance to observe, 
experiment and to think for themselves, and let us remember 
that language is the instrument of thought, and that without 
language there can be no thought." 




JAMES PORTER. 




I. C. HEIM. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

Early in the seventies there was much discussion as to the 
depreciation of county warrants, which were down then to fifty 
cents on the dollar. Some writer in the local press, in Janu- 
ary, 1874, h^^ ^^^ following : 

" Northwestern Iowa needs assistance, and such assist- 
ance can only be granted by the State Legislature. The mu- 
nificence of individuals can relieve the wants of individuals, 
but it takes legislation to relieve the embarrassments of 
counties. 

" In no part of the state is there more fertile soil, more 
healthful climate, larger yearly improvements, or more rapid 
increase in population, than in Northwestern Iowa. In a few 
years the counties will be as independent as an}' in the state. 
But circumstances, over which the county had no control, for 
the very reason that they were, themselves, controlled by de- 
signing men, brought the credit of many of them into great 
disrepute, owing to the issuing of warrants for no valid con- 
sideration, so that after affairs began to be economically man- 
aged the warrants were worth, in the market, but half their 
face. 

" It may be safely said that the New Code of Iowa went 
into operation finding the administration of our northwestern 
counties in as good hands as other portions of the state, but 
just as the New Code took force the bonding law expire<l by 
statute limitation, thereby taking away that which had caused 
warrants to be, at least in some degree, in demand, as offering 
an investment which yielded a fair rate of interest. 

" By economical management it was hoped that warrants 
would not depreciate very much, but when the Supreme 
Court's decision was announced there was no longer a mar- 
ket, something, of course, must be done. The counties can- 
not remedy the matter ; it rests with the Legislature. 

" Our assessment is $612,000. At four mills the revenue 
amounts to $2,448 ; this, with the present amount of property, 
is all that' can be raised for county purposes. 

" Now, see what county expenses are to be paid out of 
this sum : Section 3844 of the Code provides that ' The 
Board of Supervisors shall furnish the Clerk of District and 



264 HISTORT OF OSCEOLA COUNTY. IOWA. 

Circuit Courts, Sheriff, Recorder, Treasurer, Auditor and 
County Superintendent with offices at the county-seat, to- 
gether with fuel, lights, blanks, books and stationer}^ neces- 
sary and proper to enable them to discharge the duties of 
their respective offices.' 

" The compensation of the officers is fixed by the board, 
and paid out of the county fund, except such as paid in the 
shape of fees. The sum total of fees received in the different 
offices is no more than sufficient to afford one officer a rea- 
sonable and fair compensation, leaving four or five officers to 
be paid out of the county fund. The sum total of fees and 
expenses, fixed b}- law, and that cannot be reduced, amounted, 
for the last year, to $4,625.94 ; add to this amount compensa- 
tion for officers and the amount necessary to pay the interest 
on bonds drawing ten per cent., payable semi-annually, and 
you have, at the least calculation, a sum three or four times 
the amount of the revenue. At present it would take just 
about a twenty mill tax to keep up all the drafts on the count}- 
fund. 

" In view of the above condition of affairs, we appeal to 
the Legislature to provide for a revenue. We submit that it 
is an outrage on the Board of Supervisors, to the people of 
the county, to the name of legislator or legislation, that a body 
of men, chosen to legislate for the interests of the whole state, 
should compel Boards of Supervisors to provide for the pay- 
ment of bills of expenses and provide for only one-fourth the 
necessary revenue. 

" We must have the bonding law revived, a higher levy, 
and direct taxes voted by the people. We need one, or more, 
or all these means of relief. There is no reason why, if 
sufficient revenue is provided, the paper of a county cannot 
be just as good as the paper money of the government." 

PRICES IN 1873. 

In 1873, prices in Sibley ranged about as follows: Six- 
teen and one-half pounds of dried apples for $1.00; prunes 
7^ pounds for $1.00; blackberries, 7)^ pounds for $1.00; 
peaches, 10 pounds for $1.00; Standard "A" sugar, 7^ 
pounds for $t.oo; brown sugar, 10 pounds for $1.00; bacon, 
12 cents per pound; shoulders, 7 cents per pound; hams, 16 
cents per pound; oil, 35 cents per pound. 

The above was from a local dealer advertising his goods. 
The market report in a June, 1873, number of the Gazette^ 
was as follows: 




RESIDENCE OF A. VV. HARRIS, SIBLEY. 



HISTORI OF OSCEOLA COUNTY, IOWA. 269 

Wheat, No. i, ^ bush 75@86 

Corn, ^ bush 40 

Oats, ^ bush 25 

Barley, ^ bush 35@40 

Flour, ^ hundred Bbs 3.25 

Corn meal, ^ hundred lbs i . 90 

Beans, ^ bush .... i-5o 

Pork, f^tt) 12 

Hams, f^ K) 18 

Potatoes . 30 

Shoulders, ^ lb ■ 12 

Lard, ^ K) 17 

Butter, ^ R) 30 

Cheese, ^ K) 20 

%gs, ^ doz 15 

Dried apples, ^ K) 12^ 

Dried peaches, ^Jb 12)^ 

Tea, ^ R) 72@i-8o 

Coffee,^ ft) 29@34 

Sugars, '^ K) 1 2 i^@i 7 

wSyrups, ^ gal i . 00 

Molasses, "^ gal 80 

Kerosene, ^ gal 40 

Lumber, ^ M 18.00@37.00 

Nails, ^ ft) 7@io 

Shingles, ^M 3. oo@5 . 00 

Hard coal was then selling at $25 per ton, and soft coal 
correspondingly. 

Whatever the farmer raises in Osceola County he finds a 
good market for in either of the towns, and a prominent bus- 
iness house in Sibley, Ocheyedan and Harris, inadvertently 
omitted from the Sibley write-up, is 

A. W. HARRIS & CO. 

This firm has a kirge grain and coal business in Sibley, 
also in the towns of Harris and Ocheyedan. 

The town of Harris was named after the head of this 
lirm, who laid out the townsite, and still owns it except what 
lots have been sold. They put up the first building on the 
Harris townsite, and at present are the only grain buyers 
there. This firm located in Sibley in 1887, and are very 
prominent in their line of business in Osceola County. 



CONCLUDING CHAPTER. 

The condition of Osceola County in this year of our 
Lord, 1892, is one of general prosperity. Pauperism does 
not exist, and opportunities for labor, for securing homes, and 
for establishing Ijusiness are on every hand. There has been 
an abundant harvest, and each year is an advancement in farm- 
ing interests and in all classes of business. 

The last assessed valuation of the county was $1,726,582. 
The indebtedness of the county has been, at it highest, about 
^90,000. Its present indebtedness is $60,500. The amount 
of school money now loaned out, and under contract for loan 
by the county on farm land, is $96,500.75. The amount paid 
out for school purposes in 1891 was $29,040. This came from 
taxation except $611, which was derived from the permanent 
school fund interest. The running expenses of the county m 
1891 required $18,568. The income to the county from taxa- 
tion for 1891 was $61,375. 

The county has a substantial court house and every school 
district has the required buildings for school purposes. 

The people are thrifty, intelligent and law-abiding, and 
as a class are comparable with those of any county in the state. 

The County has changed in its inhabitants since the first 
settlement, some coming and going, some remaining yet, and 
others with the fate that must follow all of us, are lying in the 
cemetery. Western people are given to changing their busi- 
ness locations more than are the people of the East; here, if 
anywhere, is the spirit of unrest, implanted seemingly m our 
very nature on the first move, and with many it becomes a 
fixed feeling and irresistible. Osceola County has had its 
share of this tidal change, this flowing in and out of popula- 
tion, and of the original settlers, those who came here in 187 1, 
'72 and '73, there are not a great many left. 




A. W. HARRIS & CO. ELEVATOR, SIBLEY. 




REV. L. R. FITCH. 



i 



We close this book with a poem that has fallen under our 
observation without knowing to whom credit is due. 

COMING TO OSCEOLA COUNTY. 

They are coming from the deserts of the dim and dusky East, 
Where to raise a stunted turnip is the prospect of a feast; 
Where the farms are made of gravel and they plow witii dynamite, 
Where the festive chattel mortgage sings its dirges day and night ; 
They are coming in their wagons, they are coming on the train, 
They are coming from the regions where thev struggled long in vain ; 
They are coming from the cabin, they are coming from the hall. 
They are coming to Osceola County where there's plenty for them all. 

They are coming from the .South-land, they are coming from the North 
From the valleys and the mountains they in droves are coming forth ; 
They are coming with their husbands, they are coming with their wives, 
They are coming with their hammers, with their axes and their knives; 
With their harrows, with their rakes, with their seeders and their guns, 
They are coming with their fathers and their mothers and their sons ; 
They are coming stout and slender, they are coming short and tall, 
They are coming to Osceola County, where there's plenty for them all. 

Where the savage used to wander searching for a crop of haii% 

The farmer takes his porker to the nearest county fair; 

And the corn is daily growing where the greasy wigwams stood, 

Where he burned the wailing captive, now the poullrj' scratch for food; 

And the people who are coming to this pleasantest of climes. 

Show a happy knack of keeping with the progress of the times; 

They will find a country beaming from the spring-time to the fall. 

If they land here in Osceola County, where there's plenty for them all. 




FLORENCE L. McCAELUM. 




C. M. iMAXVILLE. 







i^.l 



C. A. CHARLES. 




MRS. D. D. MCCALLUM. 




J. C. TRAINOR. 




y. C. BRICKER. 




C. B. KNOX. 




C. L. DAVIDSON. 



L 



